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AN ILLUSTRATION FROM A RAGAMALA SERIES: DIPAK RAGA
BUNDI, RAJASTHAN, NORTH INDIA, LATE 18TH CENTURY
Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, a loving couple sits in a marble pavilion, the night scene lit by candles, under a starry sky, yellow cartouche with identification inscription in black devanagari script at top, with red and white rules and red borders, the reverse with pencil inscription '5.7.69'
9 x 6¾in. (23 x 14.5cm)
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Lot Essay

The word Dipak means flame. According to the legend, Tansen, the famous court musician of Emperor Akbar, started a palace fire when he was ordered to sing Dipak raga against his judgement. Ever since, musicians awed by the power of this masterly performance as well as fearing another disaster, have refrained from performing this raga. Painters have apparently no such worries, or confidence in such artistic super-powers, and have painted hundreds of Dipak paintings since Akbar’s time. Dipak raga is often associated with Divali, the Indian autumn festival of lights. It usually shows a pair of regal lovers, but each school treats the obligatory flame in a different way.

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