I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Refereed: ISSN: 2582-8002 Volume 1-Issue: 6 August 2021 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, Kerala Ragamala - The Amalgamation of Music, Poetry and Painting Aarti Iyer Research scholar Department of Sanskrit and Indian Culture Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi Vishwa Mahavidhyalaya Enathur, Kanchipuram Abstract Painting and music are primarily considered as a form of romantic art. As a union of painting and music comes poetry. Music, painting, and poetry are associated with different fields of arts and are also operated and approached through different senses, i.e., through ears and eyes, which in modern terms can be called audiovisual art. We find a close link between them in Ragamala style of painting. This paper highlights the conglomeration of three distinct forms of art, i.e., Indian Classical Music, Painting, and poetry, that developed into a unique style among miniature paintings called the Ragamala painting during early 16th century C.E. to 19th century C.E. It is considered to be one of the distinguished subjects among the large number of miniature painting subjects found in different regions of India. Among these regions, Rajasthan state is considered to be an epicentre for the foundation of Ragamala style of miniature painting. The study provides an abstract understanding tangible and intangible approach towards the impression of musical Ragas and Raginis as personified as Nayaka and Nayika in the Ragamala Painting. The artist tries to interpret the psychological emotions and sentiments, that has to be exhibited through the characters played by the Nayaka and Nayika, which is completely based on the essence of the particular Raga or Ragini. Each Raga have their own indigenous moods, timing, season and emotions which is beautifully described in the painting through their verses or small poetry mention above the painting. The importance of creating such a diverse platform has come to fore in the course of this study on documenting oral narratives about the life of legendary rulers of Rajput state, folk music and their artists, classical music and musical instruments and interviewing the contemporary miniature artist and the overall cultural literacy that enables appreciation of the cultural material 36 I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Refereed: ISSN: 2582-8002 Volume 1-Issue: 6 August 2021 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, Kerala Keywords: Ragamala Painting, Ragas and Raginis, Poetry, Music Introduction In our Indian traditions, from time immemorial, art has always remained an integral part of human life and has not only been engraved through social, religious, and cultural barriers within the country but has escorted humans in their movement across the frontiers. It is the similar approach of nature that creates accordance amid the diverse streams of Arts. The Indian ethnicity deals with an illustrious position of art and significantly holds both the artist and the aesthete in equal esteem1. Arts have existed and have been used to display mans' life, struggles, tales, traditions, Etc. Indian culture is always represented as an amalgamation of several cultures spanning the Indian subcontinent and has been influenced by history and archaeology that is several million years old. It is said that the term Chatu Shasti Kala is a commonly known phrase mentioned in ancient Indian literature, defining the 64 kinds of fine arts. There is a reference of the Chatu Shasti Kala mentioned in many literary sources such as Kavyas, Kadambari of Bana, Champu Ramayana of Bhoja Raja, literature named Sritattvanidhi, Sukranitisara also describes the 64 fine arts.2. In Indian tradition, the highest philosophical concept of art is Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram, i.e., truth, benevolence, and beauty. This philosophical concept of art is accepted in one way or the other by all the Indian artists throughout the ages of history3. Originally almost all the fine arts were dedicated to the supreme deities whose abodes were the temples. Moreover, that is how the foundation of fine arts such as Music, Dance, Drama, Paintings, and Instrumentals began to be associated with the cultural stigma of Indian society and its religious ideologies.4 1 Dwivedi, B. Rathore, M S, Essence of Rajasthani Miniature: Ragamala Painting. Journal of Arts. IISUniversity Vol.3. 2014. p 115-124. 2 Vyas, Ramnarayan., Nature of Indian Culture. Concept Pub House. New Delhi, 1992 3 Sharma, N. A Critical Study of Ragamala Paintings of Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Central India. Shodhganga. 2015 4 Dwivedi, B. Rathore, M S, Essence of Rajasthani Miniature: Ragamala Painting. Journal of Arts. IISUniversity Vol.3. 2014. p 115-124 37 I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Refereed: ISSN: 2582-8002 Volume 1-Issue: 6 August 2021 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, Kerala In Indian miniature paintings, we find an excellent example of this in Ragamala paintings. The idea of associating music with painting is unique in Indian art. Musical ragas expressed in poetic verses were written on the top of the folio just above the picture. In turn, they illustrated below the Raga and Ragini as the Nayaka and Nayika5. Ragamala paintings are visual interpretations of Indian musical modes previously envisioned by divine or human forms by musicians and poets. They show most frequently romantic or devotional situations in somewhat stereotyped, aristocratic settings. These paintings were formed in a module containing most often 36 or 42 folios organised in a system of families. Each family comprises a male Raga and five or six Raginis with their several Ragaputras (son) and their Ragabharyas (wife). Many paintings are inscribed with their title or even a poem, which renders a verbal interpretation of the theme more or less closely related to the painted version. It has been long said that one can feel an emotional response from the characters of varying degrees found in music. It can affect one's mood, get them excited or make them calm and relaxed. Music also allows us to feel nearly or possibly all emotions that we experience in our lives. The possibilities are endless. Aims and Objectives This research aims to study the intangible aspects of music and musical instruments depicted in the Ragamala style of a miniature painting belonging to a different school of Rajasthan, which is dated between the early 16th Century C.E. and late 19th Century C.E. Understanding the evolution and development of Indian miniature paintings under the influence of music, poetry, and painting became a central theme that was primarily represented in miniature paintings in almost all the regions of India, majorly in Rajasthan. This research is based primarily on studying the Ragamala- (Garland of Melodies) style of a miniature painting belonging to carefully selected five centres in Rajasthan, namely Kota, Bundi, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaipur. 5 Sharma, N. A Critical Study of Ragamala Paintings of Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Central India. Shodhganga. 2015 38 I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Refereed: ISSN: 2582-8002 Volume 1-Issue: 6 August 2021 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, Kerala Map 1 showing the selected regions in Rajasthan for the study of Ragamala style of miniature paintings Methodology This exploratory research study was carried out in Rajasthan as it has been considered to be the main centre for the origin of the Ragamala style of miniature paintings, which is rooted in the history of Rajasthan. Miniature paintings are among the few indigenous artworks, which have the very essence of depicting Rajasthan's folklore, culture, traditions, and ethnicity through its artwork. Moreover, the impact of Indian classical music, which is broadly reflected in the artist's creativity, has made the painting look so familiar for the viewer to understand the particular Raga depicted in the Ragamala paintings without having any prior knowledge about Ragamalika. Various measures have been carried out for procuring the primary data and references related to Indian miniature paintings and Indian classical music and musical instruments as subjected to the topic. Digital copies of Indian miniature paintings belonging to different 39 I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Refereed: ISSN: 2582-8002 Volume 1-Issue: 6 August 2021 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, Kerala regions of India and their sub-schools were procured from the archival collection owned by Government Museums, Private museums, and art collectors. The author also conducted personal interaction with the artist, who still practices making and replicating the Rajasthani miniature paintings. The data collection followed three stages: Background literary research and plotting the locations for procuring the Ragamala paintings through already published datasets, field visit and later data analysis. Then, on-field data collection involved photographing the Ragamala paintings exhibited at various museums, palaces or Haveli, and from the archival sections at govt libraries. Finally, in understanding the richness and cultural traditions, semi- structured interviews and recordings were conducted to understand the local folklores explained by the royal custodian. The case study of Ragamala paintings has helped to highlight the broad concept of Raga and Raginis of Indian classical music. The importance and significance of the Ragamala concept have been broadly studied to understand the miniature paintings of Rajasthan. Brief research on the role played by the musical instruments which are depicted on the Ragamala miniature paintings has paved the way for an extensive understanding of the aesthetics sync between tangible music and intangible music. Provenance Rajput/ Rajasthani painting is a conceptual art composed of naturalism or illusionism, which occurs through the distribution of colours and forms. Several schools of miniature paintings flourished between the late 16th to the early 19th Century C.E.