Sawai Madho Singh of Jaipur

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This excellent miniature painting, rendered with soft soothing light tints of water colours, portrays an exact likeness of Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh who ruled Jaipur from 1750 to 1767. He was the younger son of Sawai Jai Singh, the illustrious Rajput prince, the founder of the Pink City Jaipur, a great mathematician, astronomer and connoisseur of art. After Jaipur's Kachhawahas had matrimonial relations with Mughals, all Rajput clans had snapped matrimonial ties with them. Udaipur's Sisodias were the first to resume these ties by marrying Sisodia princess Chandrakunwar to Sawai Jai Singh. It was a conditional arrangement under which Sawai Jai Singh had to build for her a separate palace, nominate her son as his successor and pledge not to marry any of her daughters, if born to her, to a Mughal. Sawai Madho Singh was her son. Anticipating danger to his life due to intrigues for Jaipur's throne soon after he was born, Sawai Madho Singh along with his mother was shifted to Udaipur where he passed most of his childhood and youth.

Sawai Jai Singh died in 1743. His eldest son Ishvari Singh was able to ascend Jaipur's throne. Sisodias made best efforts to obtain Jaipur for Sawai Madho Singh but it was only after Ishvari Singh committed suicide in 1750 and with the help Holkaras that Sawai Madho Singh was able to capture Jaipur. He ruled Jaipur for some seventeen years and when just forty he died of cholitis. Like his father Jai Singh Madho Singh too assisted Mughals in their difficulties. When there rose a dispute between Emperor Ahmedshah and his Minister Safadarjung, Sawai Madho Singh mediated and resolved the dispute. The Emperor rewarded him with the fort of Ran Thambhore. Adjacent to it Sawai Madho Singh built a township almost like Jaipur. He named it Sawai Madhopur after himself. He also built the fortress of Moti Doongari, fort of Sanganer, Madhu Vilas palace and several other buildings. He added to his father's Jantar-Mantar at Delhi and Jaipur several new 'yantras'. In Jaipur dynasty in his love for art, architecture, literature etc. he ranks second to only his father Jai Singh.

This portrait has thus historical significance for it is the record of the likeness of an illustrious Rajput prince and the ruler of the globally known township Jaipur. Madho Singh was so fat that he has been nicknamed in history as the 'Mota Raja', the fat king, but the artist has so wondrously manipulated his canvas that his form appears to be in absolute proportion. His arrangement of colours is superb. He has drawn his figure against a sky blue background but to make his figure's face the focal point of the canvas he has drawn around it a halo type circle in gold. More than a halo it only defines his face. A lush green sash on his shoulder, beaded ornament on chest, the beautifully painted broad border of his gown-type garment and as beautifully painted pyjamas arrest viewer's eye and it is hardly free to perceive his disproportionate figure. The features of the figure are very well defined and the face is charged with great emotionality.

This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of ancient Indian literature. Dr Daljeet is the chief curator of the Visual Arts Gallery at the National Museum of India, New Delhi. They have both collaborated on numerous books on Indian art and culture.

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