NORTH INDIA, PUNJAB HILLS, MANDI, CIRCA 1820

This charming painting tells a beloved story of Krishna’s childhood pranks with his brother and fellow gopas, or cowherds. In the present scene, Krishna sits upon Balarama’s shoulders and reaches for the clay pots of buttermilk hanging from the rafters. Krishna shovels the curd from a matka into his anxious companions’ bowls, as one boy eats from a pot that has fallen and spilled open on the floor. Normally, paintings of this scene depict Krishna as a young child or toddler. In the present example, Krishna and his mates are well into their adolescence; however, the playful innocence of this trick is fully retained.