A Hindu Priest Worshipping at the Shrine of Shri Nath ji (Krishna)

Origin: Indian, Rajasthan, Kota
Date: About 1840
Medium: Opaque watercolor, gold and silver
Gift of Clara T. and Gilbert J. Yager
91.73

This brightly colored miniature painting shows worshipers at one of the most important shrines to Krishna, located in Nathadwara in Rajasthan. The life-sized stone statue depicted in the painting is of uncertain date, but it has been in continuous worship since at least the seventeenth century. The deity is bathed and fed on a regular schedule, and the clothing and other shrine furnishings are changed eight times daily.

Here Krishna in the form of Shri Nathji wears a red quilted coat and beautiful garlands of pearls, flowers and precious stones. He is flanked by a priest, holding a ceremonial lamp, and a young attendant with a feathered fan. The small pitcher wrapped in red cloth contains water from the Yamuna River, which flows through the region where Krishna spent his childhood. The bolsters on either side of the altar may symbolize the arms of Krishna's foster mother, Yashoda.

The pose of the figure recalls a time long ago when the god lifted up a mountain to shield his devotees from a sudden storm. Visitors to this shrine wait eagerly for the moment when the attendants will pull aside the curtains and reveal the power and beauty of Krishna for all to see.