Deeper Concerns in Lighter Contexts

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The batik artist has caught in this simple looking cloth art-piece a theme which represents India's age long past, present of millions, apprehensions of tomorrow's planners, outlet of suppressed ones, moments of relief, deeper concerns and lighter contexts. Water has been and is yet a severe challenge to life in India and might turn severer tomorrow. Since ages in most part of rural India and more particularly in Rajasthan and in areas around desert drinking water has been as great a priority of life as breathing. Rivers, lakes and other water resources were hence worshipped as deities incarnate all over since ancient times, a township or a temple on a river bank or around a lake considered the best abode both for man and god and digging a well or constructing a tank the most sacred of man's acts on earth.

Dug-wells, usually dug on a village outskirts with the object of serving both, the field and the throat, were an essentiality of each village from times unknown and trips of women-folks to these 'panaghatas', for fetching water one of the most loved routines of domestic life. In a domestic system where housewives, young unmarried girls and even elderly ones had little of outings a 'panaghata' trip provided them opportunity to let out their tensions, pangs of love and life, all deeper concerns and all lighter contexts. It was where the lovers met, riddles solved, intimacies grew, enmities developed, mother-in-laws and daughter-in-laws tussles fanned and inflated and romances had their beginning. As witness a number of folk-lores and legends, many a knight met his love when tired of journey he dismounted his horse on a 'panaghata' where a fascinating face with a couple of twinkli ng eyes served water to his thirsty throat but the knight, as go legends, preferred to drink with his eyes direct from the eyes of her who served him water and what precipitated in the hearts of two was a maddening love and ties for ever.

The artist has represented simply three maids on way, one obviously on way to 'panaghata' and the other two on way back. They have fine features, deep thoughtful eyes and are modestly adorned. The bare footed damsels represent the common village folk in costumes which characterise them as Rajasthani, though the nose-rings worn on right side of the noses by them are typical of South India. They carry on their heads beautifully painted pitchers at least the two of which are full of water and hence cumbersome and full of weight, yet something heavier in mind makes it lighter.The tense faces of maidens manifestly depict the inner turmoil and some kind of grave urgency. This simple depiction reveals no specific subject and hence may suggest anything from a deeper concern to a lighter context.

This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr. Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of literature and is the author of numerous books on Indian art and culture. Dr. Daljeet is the curator of the Miniature Painting Gallery, National Museum, New Delhi. They have both collaborated together on a number of books.

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Of Related Interest:

The Portrait of a Village Damsel (Batik Painting On Cotton)

At the Village Well (Batik Painting On Cotton)

The Village Belle (Batik Painting On Cotton)

The Villagers (Batik Painting On Cotton)

Village Belle (Water Color on Paper)

The Village Belle (Stone Color with Black Soot on Paper)

The Village Belle (Brass Statue)

Lady of the Village (Doll)