Descent of the River Ganges
Indian
Description
Central India, Bundelkhand
ca. 1775
Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
Museum purchase made possible by a gift of Sarah W. Graf and Otto G. Graf,
1979/1.148
According to an ancient story, the goddess Ganga (the personification of the
River Ganges) once dwelt in heaven and the earth suffered from drought. In
answer to the prayers of the great king Bhagiratha, the gods allowed Ganga to
descend to earth. This, however, brought the danger of floods: if Ganga were to
fall unimpeded, the force of the mighty river could destroy the earth. So
Bhagiratha sought the aid of the powerful Hindu god Shiva, who caught Ganga in
his densely-matted locks of hair to break her fall.
In this lyrical painting from Bundelkhand in Central India, the great river is shown
tumbling from the night sky. Ascetics, who follow an austere way of life, sit cross-
legged on the mountainside, while women come to venerate Ganga. The river
teems with life—crocodiles, turtles, fish, and birds—while lions, leopards, jackals,
monkeys, and rabbits cavort on its banks. It is as if Ganga has restored life to the
natural world.
Subject Matter:
According to an ancient legend, the goddess Ganga (the personification of the River Ganges) once dwelt in heaven, and the earth suffered from drought. Through the prayers of Bhagiratha, the gods agreed to allow Ganga to descend to earth, but that brought about another crisis: if Ganga were to fall unimpeded, the force of the mighty river could destroy the earth. Bhagiratha then performed penances to seek the aid of the powerful Hindu god Shiva, who responded by catching Ganga in his densely matted locks of hair to break her fall.
Physical Description:
In this intensely lyrical painting from Bundelkhand in Central India, the great river is shown tumbling from the night sky. Ascetics sit cross-legged on the mountainside, offering their austerities to Shiva, while women come to venerate Ganga. The river teems with life—crocodiles, turtles, fish, and birds—while lions, leopards, jackals, monkeys, and rabbits cavort on its banks.
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