'Hanuman is bound by Indrajit's arrows'

The first half of the 18th century marked a momentous period for Himalayan miniature painting in the Pahari region of Himachal Pradesh, as a family atelier founded by Pandit Seu established the Guler School of painting. His exposure to Mughal Painting styles directed and influenced Pahari painting toward a more naturalistic look, in contrast to mid-17th-century Basohli styles. The major series attributed to Pandit Seu is the Guler Ramayana series, whose pieces can be found across the Rietberg Museum, the Lahore Museum and Chandigarh Museum. This 22 x 31 cm (including border)/ 17.5 x 27 cm (only the picture) artwork titled ‘Hanuman is bound by Indrajit's arrows’ or ‘Hanumān saved from Indrajit by Brahmā’ (Brockington, 2023) has been dated to circa 1720. The painting has a broad lac-red border, and the back of the work is inscribed with a Sanskrit text in black and the occasional red lettering of ink. The three-figure composition arranges each figure into a triangular composition. Hanuman falls rigidly, bound by the Brahmastra, eyes turned towards the heavens. Indrajit is mid-draw, expression fierce with anticipation, charging towards his target. Brahma looms in the heavens, a comforting hand outstretched to Hanuman. Even his inclination towards the left rather than the right reveals where his loyalties lie. The figures are firm, with strong, distinct shapes that combine fluid lines, space, and colour to create a unique palette and style, clearly revealing the Mughal inspirations. A particular deviation from Basohli conventions that is strikingly noticed, is the more naturalistic, softer faces, eyes, and tinted lips that strike as less iconic and more naturalistic. Far from looking like a demon, Indrajit is bestowed a human appearance, just as his father Ravana would be in other depictions by Pandit Seu (Goswamy & Fischer,1992). The warm flat background is an ochre wash save for the top, which has a curved streak of blue and white, which is in stark contrast to the yellow, orange, and red hues of the work. A wash of green at the bottom edge, with the stray grass blade and leaf, is the only marker of the ground, which blends into the background, creating a moment suspended in time. This quality lends itself to the work feeling more like an epic moment rather than a detailed daily occurrence (Goswamy & Fischer,1992). Pandit Seu’s interest in narrative paintings combined with his compositional details and break in conventions, imbues his work with a timeless, quality. His legacy would be carried on by his sons Manaku and Nainsukh.