A Princess on a Ride

The painting, a reminiscent of early 16th century Persian style, depicts a princess, probably Shahzadi Zareena of Persian folk tales. Attended upon by an unarmed servant she is on a ride across a hilly terrain. Her palace is left far behind. She is riding a black horse richly saddled and lavishly adorned with jewels. Shahzadi herself is in regal costume and crown. Her towering crown with a couple of crests is fully inlaid with rich diamonds, rubies, emeralds and other precious stones. She is putting on a deep red and maroon gown which is alike inlaid with large size pearls and other precious stones. While passing by a river side she finds a semi-nude lady taking in the river a bath in open. She is obviously a lady from a respectable family. Though the attendant of the lady has raised a sheet of cloth like a curtain for concealing her behind it, yet her nudity is not fully concealed. Shahzadi Zareena is disgusted by her conduct. The awe-stricken lady and her attendant turn to the princess in fear.

Shahzadi Zareena, who headed her father's state after his death, was both, tough for offenders and compassionate and soft for poor and good. Fearless and unarmed or unattended she moved across streets and lanes and fields and forests. Whatever the hour, the night or the day, and how far away, Shahzadi Zareena was there by a sufferer's side and an offender, wherever he was, always felt the throttling grip of her hands whenever he committed a wrong. No wrong-doer was known to have ever escaped Shahzadi's hawk-like eye.She as much chastised social wrongs, impertinance, obscenity, immorality or a thing which adversely affected public life.

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.