Siva-puja

Abanindranath Tagore (1871 - 1951) was the pioneer and leading exponent of the Bengal School of Art. In his paintings, he sought to counter the influence of Western art as taught in art schools under the British Raj, by modernizing indigenous Moghul and Rajput traditions. His work became so influential that it was eventually accepted and regarded as a national Indian style within British and international art institutions.

In his work, Abanindranath retrieved themes from the Indian epic past or scenes from romantic tales, such as Arabian Nights or Omar Khaiyam and reworked them in a highly romanticised style.

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This painting depicts a young woman performing 'Shiva-Puja', worship of the Hindu god Shiva. She is dressed in a pale green and white sari seated on an animal skin placed on a low red charpoi. With her right hand she holds a tambura and with the her left she salutes a large black linga (representing Shiva) decked with red and white flowers. The night sky with a crescent moon can be seen in the background. This subject may represent the Ragini Bhairavi of the Raga Bhairava, a piece of music played at dawn in the months of September - October.