Krishna Stealing Clothes of Gopis

Lord Krisha is one of the most revered and renowned deities in Hinduism. He is a Supreme God whom people play for compassion and love. Lord Krisha also takes on major appearances in the Mahabharata, one of India's most important epics. The narrative around him, aptly named Krisha Lella, often portray him in various lights such as a supreme being, child, a young adult, a hero, and sometimes even a god who has his fun. In one of the books of Bhagavata Purana, Krishna’s exploits with the Gopis are recounted.

This painting depicts Lord Krisha as a youthful man who can be seen upon a tree, with pieces of clothing stolen from the women bathing in the river. The tree is also inhabited with peacocks, India’s national bird. These women are called the Gopis, the young ladies of Brindavan. This painting took a creative spin to the scene and applied signature Madhubani colors and patterns in all the details of the painting. Lord Krishna is opulently dressed, with a peacock-feather crown. Meanwhile, the Gopis, who are traditionally drawn naked, are depicted with clothing on but their outerwear can also be seen on the branches from the tree where Krishna is on. The clamor and embarrassment from the Gopis are said to represent social conventions and other obligations. Meanwhile such feelings were eventually replaced by their surrender (arms raised) to be one in devotion to the God Krishna (represented by raising their hands and revealing their whole being to Krishna). The use of natural colors and patterns such as broken lines and stripes trace back to the traditions of Madhubani in Bihar. Notice that no space on the page is left blank which is another key feature of Madhubani art.