Morning Ablutions- Pahari painting in Basohli Kalam

Morning Ablutions, folio from Sukra-Rambha series, an Indian painting in the Pahari style in Basohli Kalam which is based on the Mahabharata (Indian epic) episode of Sukra Rambha Samvada.

This painting in Basohli kalam portrays, Rambha (the celestial maiden) just coming out of a river after her bath. Sukra (the guru of Asuras) is standing before her on a rock in the river after his morning ablutions and is watching Rambha’s morning ablutions.

Pahari painting literally means paintings from the hills of India, especially the sub-Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh. It is a type of Indian painting. The style has undergone a lot of modification during its lifetime. In places like Basohli, Nurpur, Chamba, Kangra, Guler, Mandi and Garhwal the paintings were mostly done in miniature forms.