Krishna Gazes Longingly at Radha, Page from the "Lumbagraon Gita Govinda" Series

ca. 1820-1825

These three paintings, illustrating two of Hinduism’s great romantic-devotional poems, show episodes during which Radha becomes jealous of Krishna’s other lovers and refuses to see him; all involve a female confidante, known as a sakhi, who works diligently to reunite the lovers. In the page from the Sat Sai, the sakhi berates Radha for torturing herself over Krishna’s infidelities. In the two pages from Gita Govinda manuscripts, the sakhi delivers messages between the god and Radha. In the night scene, Krishna, ever impish, eavesdrops on the women’s conversation.