Detail View: Manuscripts of the Islamicate World and South Asia: Ragamala Paintings, 31

Work Record ID: 
0011349
Licence: 
Shelfmark: 
Or.Ms 114
Holding Institution: 
University of Edinburgh
Title: 
Ragamala Paintings
Subset Index: 
31
Creator: 
Unknown
Creator Role: 
Author
Date: 
Mid-Late 18th Century
Description: 
Detail of Ragamala miniature entitled 'Kalyana ragini of Megha Malar'. Shows an evening rangini, which is considered luck-bringing and soothing according to Indian tradition. Ragamala paintings are images which depict, in physical form, the 'modes' or scales used in Indian Classical Music, known as ragas. Usually accompanied by an inscription or poem, they elucidate the season and time of day in which a raga was meant to be performed, as well as its mood, and often portray the Hindu deities with which they are individually associated. The concept may have originally come about through the use of personification as an aide memoire for musicians, which then developed into physical imagery. This collection dates to the mid-late eighteenth century, and originates from Hyderabad on the Deccan Plateau in Southern India. Acquired by John Ballie (1772-1833), who brought it to the UK, it is one of two sets of Ragamala paintings in the Oriental Manuscripts Collection, the other being Or.Ms 437.1-2. Sources: Watson, L. (2012), What is Ragamala?, http://dulwichonview.org.uk/2012/01/20/what-is-ragamala/ (accessed 05/06/14). http://www.ed.ac.uk/about/museums-galleries/talbot-rice/archive/ragamala (accessed 05/06/14)
Material: 
Gouache
Location: 
Centre for Research Collections/Main Library
Culture: 
Indian
Subject Category: 
Art
Subject Category: 
Music
Rights Statement: 
© The University of Edinburgh
Catalogue Entry: 
https://archives.collections.ed.ac.uk/repositories/2/archival_objects/211166
Tag: 
Hindu
Tag: 
Music
Tag: 
Painting
Tag: 
Raga
Tag: 
Ragamala
Tag: 
India
Repro File Type: 
Cropped Tiff
Repro File Size (bytes): 
139538168
Repro Title: 
Ragamala Paintings, 31
Repro Description: 
Kalyan
Repro Rights Statement: 
© The University of Edinburgh
Repro Capture Date: 
2010:07:14 16:09:23