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Todi Ragini
View through Harvard Museums
Contained within a border of lotus blossoms is a scene in which a young female figure, the Todi Ragini, sits in the fork of a tree. She wears a gold skirt, cropped top, and a shawl that is draped over her head, her long black hair peeking out from underneath. She extends her right hand proper to a male black buck, which approaches with three female black bucks. Two female attendants stand near the tree, one of whom carries a "veena", a South Asian stringed instrument. A narrow, silvery stream runs across the foreground. The background is composed of bands of landscape in several shades of green, treetops, and a large, silvery band of river. At the top left are the rooftops of small buildings, and at the right is a fortified wall encircling a white palatial structure. Written twice on the reverse in Arabic script are the words “ragini todi.” Rajput, Rajasthani.
Department of Islamic & Later Indian Art
[Charles D. Kelekian New York (by 1952-1982)] by descent; to [Kelekian Associates New York (1982-1992)] by descent; to Nanette Rodney Kelekian New York (1992-2021) bequest; to the Harvard Art Museums.
NOTE:
"Kelekian Associates" was formed at the death of Charles D. Kelekian by Nanette Rodney Kelekian and her mother Beatrice Kelekian. Upon Beatrice Kelekian’s death in 1992 ownership passed to Nanette Rodney Kelekian.
Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum Bequest of Nanette B. Kelekian
Title: Todi Ragini
Description:
Contained within a border of lotus blossoms is a scene in which a young female figure, the Todi Ragini, sits in the fork of a tree.
She wears a gold skirt, cropped top, and a shawl that is draped over her head, her long black hair peeking out from underneath.
She extends her right hand proper to a male black buck, which approaches with three female black bucks.
Two female attendants stand near the tree, one of whom carries a "veena", a South Asian stringed instrument.
A narrow, silvery stream runs across the foreground.
The background is composed of bands of landscape in several shades of green, treetops, and a large, silvery band of river.
At the top left are the rooftops of small buildings, and at the right is a fortified wall encircling a white palatial structure.
Written twice on the reverse in Arabic script are the words “ragini todi.
” Rajput, Rajasthani.
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Todi Ragini (painting, recto), from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies) Series
Todi Ragini (painting, recto), from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies) Series
The Todi Ragini, sung as an evocation of both tenderness and sadness, is visually represented by a young heroine (nayika) in a forest separated from her lover. In this painting, sh...
Todi Ragini (painting, recto; text, verso), from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies) Series
Todi Ragini (painting, recto; text, verso), from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies) Series
Todi Ragini evokes both tenderness and sadness, and is commonly represented by a young heroine (nayika) in a forest separated from her lover. In this painting, she is shown carryin...
Todi Ragini, Illustration from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies) Series
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Malasri Ragini (painting, recto), from the Chunar Ragamala (Garland of Melodies) Series
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This painting depicts the Malasri Ragini or the Gaund Ragini (mentioned in the caption at the top-right of the painting), which is typically set at night. The moon in the dark, sta...
Asavari Ragini, illustration from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies) series
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Gauri Ragini (painting, recto; text, verso), from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies) Series
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Vibhasa Ragini (painting, recto; text, verso), from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies) Series
Vibhasa Ragini (painting, recto; text, verso), from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies) Series
Vibhasa Ragini is commonly represented by a man firing an arrow at a rooster to stop it from crowing at dawn and awakening his lover. Here, the male figure aims his arrow at a larg...
Asavari Ragini (painting, recto; text, verso), from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies) Series
Asavari Ragini (painting, recto; text, verso), from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies) Series
The Asavari Ragini, is commonly represented by a female heroine (nayika) that charms snakes either through her dance or through her music. In this painting, the female figure sits ...

