Gauri Ragini: Preparatory Drawing for a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies) Series Folio

The Gauri Ragini is meant to evoke a contemplative mood and is commonly represented by a female heroine (nayika) who is lovesick and reminisces about her lover in a forest. She typically holds flowers in her hands and her song and dance attract peacocks. Here, in this preparatory drawing, the female figure, surrounded by lush trees, carries large branches of flowers as young male peacocks gather around her. Dabs of opaque watercolor and watercolor are intended to guide the colorist. This preparatory drawing is a pictorial metaphor for a raga, a musical phrase that is used as the basis for improvisation. Rajput, Rajasthani.