NORTHWEST INDIA, RAJASTHAN, NATHDWARA, 19TH CENTURY

The present painting on textile depicts the city of Nathdwara, the home of and most important temple town devoted to the worship of Shrinathji, a form of Krishna and the central deity of the Pushti Marg sect. The layout of the city is typical for a Rajasthani palace town, with numerous gates painted with confronted elephants, winding alleys, and gleaming white walls. At the center of the town is the icon devoted to Shrinathji, with worshippers and cows gathered in the main square before him in celebration of the Govardhana puja. To the left of the main shrine, the tree-lined allée leading to a pavilion represents the Moti Mahal, the private residence of the local ruler, which was built in 1861.