The famous Pahari artist Khushala, belonging to the Nainsukh family, is popularly known for his contributions to the miniature Pahari paintings that were patronized under Maharaja Sansar Chand of the Kangra court. The painting "Shiva and Parvati Descending from Mt. Kailash" by Khushal is a magnificent piece of art.
The painting depicts a starry night with a green landscape and ascending mountains that bow themselves in the honor of Shiva and Parvati, who return from the deep mountains of Kailash to the earth and are welcomed and honored by a sage who is bowing and honoring flowers at their feet. The figures of Shiva and Parvati are descending the mountain as a couple together, covered with tiger skin as a shawl or overcoat, and Parvati can be seen blessing the sage. Beneath them are the pishach and bhoot sena of Shiva and Nandi; the dearest one to Shiva amongst all is carrying a pot and a trumpet-like instrument to celebrate the arrival of Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati. In the background the Yajna is being performed, and people around are admiring the beauty of Shiva and Parvati, and her maidens are seen carrying her basic essentials, like the fan, water pot, etc., and talking about them.
The painting is made with high delicacy and fine squirrel-hair brushes on sialkoti handmade paper. The pigments used in this painting are derived from natural minerals, plants, shells, etc., which give a bright, vibrant, and long-lasting effect to the painting. These pigments and color choices make the painting look lively, with graceful and highly expressive human figures and a naturalistic landscape with the use of gold and silver pigments for the adornment of jewelry and embellishment of the core figures like Shiva and Parvati. This is a beautiful piece of art by Khushala that highlights the atmosphere of harmony and emotional depth.
The painting “Shiva and Parvati descending from Mount Kailash” by artist Khushal conveys a mythical, but at the same time very lively moment: the divine couple seems to emerge from the calm heights of the sacred mountain into the world of people. Their figures are highlighted with soft light, and around there is a feeling of movement and solemnity. The image of Kailash with her greatness creates a background against which the emotions and significance of what is happening are especially clearly readable: in this scene there is blessing, and calm strength, and the beauty of the transition between the heavenly and the earthly. The artist builds the composition in such a way that the view follows their descent, as if the viewer is also witnessing a wonderful journey.
