KRISHNA'S VIRAAT ROOP PAINTING

This Madhubani painting depicts the legend of the Viraat roop of Krishna as revelaed to Arjuna on the Mahabharata battlefields! Virat roop, is an iconographical form and theophany of the Hindu god Krishna. In the climactic war in the Mahabharata, the Pandava prince Arjuna and his brothers fight against their cousins, the Kauravas with Krishna as his charioteer. Faced with moral dilemma that whether or not to fight against and kill his own or for dharma (duty), Krishna discourses him about life and death and reveals his Vishvarupa as a theophany. Krishna reveals himself as the Supreme Being and finally displays his Vishvarupa / Virat Roop to Arjuna. Arjuna experiences the vision of the Vishvarupa with divine vision endowed to him by Krishna.

Madhubani, which by one account means Forest of Honey, is a region in Mithila region of Nepal and the northern part (Madhubani district) of Bihar.The Madhubani paintings is an ancient style of painting that originates 2500 years ago. Following the age old methods of painting, artist, till date, mixes cow-dung and rock-salt glue to the paints. While cow dung is used for the shine it imparts to the colored patches, glue helps the paint to bind well with the special handmade paper used for these paintings.

Vidyanath Jha has portrayed the scene in exquisite detail in the ancient Madhubani style on handmade paper with natural colors using pen nibs and brushes.