Hindola Raga: Radha and Krishna on a Swing

This painting comes from a dispersed Ragamala series (Garland of musical modes). The most common configuration of ragamala consists of thirty-six musical modes: six male modes, called raga, and thirty female modes, known as ragini (five “wives” for each male). Hindola raga takes place during the spring and features a group of young women moving a swing on which the divine lovers Krishna and Radha are seated. The rising and falling motion of the swing encourages flirtation and the pursuit of pleasure. In India, swinging festivals are held in early spring. As an act of devotion to Krishna, images of the god are placed on swings and rocked.