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Ascetic Princess with Snakes in a Wilderness: Asavari Ragini, from a Ragamala

Unknown

1650

unspecified

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Baroque Mughal Painting Baroque Religious

Dominant colour

Ascetic Princess with Snakes in a Wilderness: Asavari Ragini, from a Ragamala is a 1650 unspecified by Unknown, a Baroque work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1650 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

A woman sits alone in a wild forest, her body wrapped in leaves, snakes curling around her arms. She looks calm, almost happy, as if she belongs there. This painting comes from a series that tells musical stories—each scene matches a song. Here, the princess gave up her royal life to live in nature, and the snakes are drawn to her peace. The artist shows her strength, not sadness. To see more paintings like this, look up *Rajput kingdom of Bikaner*.

The story of this work

Overview

According to a theme explored in various examples of Indian poetry and literature, a princess has fled her royal life to live alone on an island in the forest. She has skillfully made a skirt and hut of leaves and vines. Suffering deprivation and practicing yogic disciplines, she has achieved the power to peacefully commune with the water snakes, who are mystically drawn to her.