The beauty of Basohli miniature painting blossoms best when paired with lyrical verses of Gita Govinda, the 12th-century work of Jayadeva, which was taken by the Vaishnavas, whose Bhakti (devotion), inspired the strokes of the miniature artists. As mentioned by Jayadeva in the context of Gita Govinda, these Krishna-Radha paintings are for the “Rasikas”- the seeker of Rasa (juice), sweet emotion that is felt upon the Smarana (remembrance) of Krishna. In this manner, the Krishna-Radha miniatures of Basohli are a celebration of the devotional love of the followers of Krishna.
Radha and Krishna in the painting are shown as a youthful couple, immersed in each other completely. They have put on exquisite attire and ornaments, highlighting everything beautiful about them, on the occasion of the union of their souls. Sri Radha, the primary companion of Krishna embodies the mesmeric beauty of a yet to blossom lotus, and Krishna, dark-skinned, wearing his distinctive yellow garment and a garland of flowers complements the exquisiteness of his beloved. Another female figure in the miniature is Lalita Devi, one of the gopis who is famous for her intense love for Krishna and Radha to an extent that she is always accompanying them, even in the warmest moments the duo shares. Except for the tree on the right and the thin blue waves on the bottom, this Basohli miniature has left the canvas blank, which to us viewers, appears to be filled with the nectar of the love of Radha and Krishna.
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