Vishnu - Vasudevan - Review Presentation

From Raga to Ragamala: Tracing Divine Territorialities
An Inquiry Into the Represented Architecture of Music

from the 16th - 19th Century, Bundi
Vishnu Vasudevan | UG180643

Guided by Dr. Balaji Venkatachary
1
Fine Arts: art (such as painting, sculpture, or music) concerned primarily with the
creation of beautiful objects
Arts: the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production
of aesthetic objects
Source: Merriam Webster Dictionary
From Raga to Ragamala: Tracing Divine Territorialities of Bundi | Guide: Dr. Balaji Venkatachary | Vishnu Vasudevan | 16/09/22
2
Source: Dr. Richa Jain (Song of the Rainbow)
Art is not the representation of a beautiful thing but a beautiful representation of a thing.
- Immanuel Kant
3
वास्तुकला
Vastu + Kala
Dwell + Art
The Art of Dwelling (to be able to)
4
Source: Dr. Richa Jain (Song of the Rainbow)
Framework 1: Dr. Kumar Vimal Art
Beauty Images Symbol Imagination
Architecture
(The Art of Dwelling)
5
Beauty - How the water descends during rain and can be viewed from the corridor
Source: Shreya Shridhar
6
Images - The strong image of the facade
Source: Architectural Digest
7
Symbol - The ramp being the tongue of the building receiving people.
Source: Anonymous
8
Imagination - How life inhabits the architecture
Source: Vishnu Vasudevan
9
Framework 2: Kama Sutra
Shadanga (Shad + Anga) from the Kama Sutra
The Gestalt of Art
Roopabhedam Pramanam Bhavam Lavanyayojanam Sadrishyam Varnikabhangam

Form Proportions Movement Beauty Simile Colours
Source: Indian School of Muscat, Dept. of Fine Arts

10
Framework 2: Kama Sutra
Shadanga (Shad + Anga) from the Kama Sutra
The Gestalt of Architecture
Roopabhedam Pramanam Bhavam Lavanyayojanam Sadrishyam Varnikabbhangam

Form Proportions Experience Beauty Relatability Colours
(Function)
Source: CEPT University, Ahmedabad

11
Art
Roopabhedam Pramanam Bhavam Lavanyayojanam Sadrishyam Varnikabhangam

Form Proportions Movement Beauty Simile Colours
Sadrishyam
Roopabhedam Pramanam Bhavam Lavanyayojanam Varnikabbhangam
Relatability
Form Proportions Experience Beauty Colours
(Function)
Architecture
12
Ragamala Paintings Raga
(16th - 19th Century, Bundi)
Scholars interpreting
Raga + Mala = Garland of Raga
Raga for their mood
and setting through poetry
Musical Mode Artists translating

Garland strung the poetry to painting
- Freedom to together
define melody in
Indian Music
Intangible music
- Ragas define
shown through
mood, emotion
tangible painting.
(Rasa theory)
Bhairavi Ragini, Bundi, 1750s.
Source: Cornell Digital Library
13
Why study Ragamala paintings?
Architectural Intangible - Tangible Interdisciplinary

It’s Art
Representation Translations Confluence
1) Typology
1) Represented Music 1) Anthropology
2) Paradigms 1) Shadanga
2) Represented Architecture 2) Sociology
3) Environment (The six principles)
14

It’s Art
1) Typology
15
Shiva’s Shrine typology from Bhairavi Ragini Ragamala paintings of Bundi
Architectural
Representation
1) Typology
2) Paradigms
The Mughal dome to the Shikhara - Paradigm shifts in depiction of the shrines
3) Environment
Source: Cornell Digital Library The depiction of available/exaggerated flora in Bundi

16

It’s Art
1) Typology
17
Musicological Perception:
1) Represents tenderness and pathos

2) Khandita - Nayika (love separation)
3) Contemplative Solitude supported
by the represented landscape
Source: National Museum, Delhi

Intangible - Tangible
Translations
1) Represented Music
2) Represented Architecture
Todi Ragini from Bundi, circa 1700s
18
Karuna and Shanta rasa exaggerated by the
The Rasa Theory
architectural setting - the wilderness.
Source: University College, Trivandrum Source: Google Arts and Culture
19
Site Visit: Bundi, Rajasthan
Music represented through Ragamala paintings in the ceilings of Badal Mahal, Vilas Ragini depicted on the fort wall
Bundi fort
20
Cornell Digital Library Collection Site Visit: Bundi, Rajasthan
Translations
Bhairavi Ragini, Bundi Chitrashala, Taragarh Fort, Bundi
21
Observation from Bundi fort: A manifestation of Bhairavi Ragini within the palace, The water body in the landscape
22
Translations
Niche shown in Ragamala painting, Niche in Bundi Fort

23
Translations
A shrine shown in Ragamala painting, a shrine in Bundi fort
24

It’s Art
1) Typology
25
Interdisciplinary
Confluence
1) Anthropology (qualitative)
2) Sociology (quantitative)
Source: National Museum of Asian Art Ragamala paintings also give us evidences of lifestyles, rituals and practices of people.
26

It’s Art
1) Typology
27
Ragamala Painting Architecture
Poetry Poetry Science
Music
Music
Art Art
Commonalities/ Analogies
28
Human Civilisation Divine: Relating to God, Unworldly
Music Architecture Poetry Art
to manifest to manifest to manifest to manifest
Representing
Music
Architecture Music Music Poetry
Poetry Poetry Architecture Architecture
Art Art Art
29
Representing
Music
Poetry Poetry Architecture
Art Art Art Architecture
Manifestation of the song ‘Akhilandeshwari’ based on the

Thiruvanaikaval Temple in Trichy.
Composer: Muthuswamy Dikshitar | Raga: Dwijavanthi
30
Representing
Music
The ‘rhythm’ in the pillared pavilion at Bundi fort, and Ragamala

paintings drawn on the ceilings of Badal Mahal.
31
Representing
Music
Poetry epics like ‘Ramayana’ manifesting in music, architecture and art.
32
Representing
Music
Ragini Bhairavi interpreted by scholars of 16th century and manifested as a devout architectural setting
of a shrine with a woman praying to Lord Shiva.
Ragini Bhairavi, AD 1700, Set 42, Cornell Digital Library
33
Ragamala painting: Where an intangible element such as a raga is manifested in a
tangible translation (using an architectural setting) bridged by the narrative of the
poetry from perception, the setting of the translation is unworldly (or occurring within
the purview of the painting, and can only be experienced through artistic lens.)
And the author calls this unworldliness as ‘divine’.
34
Ragamala Painting
s
ent
es
pr
re
Music Architecture Poetry
Divine Territoriality
Ragini Bhairavi, AD 1700, Set 42, Cornell Digital Library
35
Where is the author positioned?
Why ‘From Raga to Ragamala’?
Music
Poetry (Dhyana) - Based on: Scholars

1) Musical Treatises
2) Folklore
3) Psychological Response inquiry The Author
Divine Territoriality
(architect)
translatory latency
Ragamala Painting - Based on: Artists

1) Dhyana
2) Mythology
3) Skill Emulation/ Tradition
Represented Architectural Setting
36
Aim: To inquire about the architecture of divine territorialities and their musical interpretations
found in the Ragamala paintings from the 16th - 19th century Bundi/Kotah region, India.
Research Question: How does a Raga manifest itself into the architectural setting of a Ragamala
painting from the sample space of paintings from 16th-19th century, Bundi?
37
Critical Questions:
1) What is divine territoriality?

2) What is the role of architecture in divine territorialities represented in the Ragamala paintings
from the 16th - 19th century Bundi?
3) How is the architecture used to represent music in Ragamala paintings?
38
Objectives:
1) To read the Ragamala paintings to discern the compositional characteristics of those depicting
divine territorialities in the selected sample space, to decode and classify architectural elements
in the paintings and identify patterns found from the analyses.
2) To collate literature on music interpretation and its representation in the Ragamala painting
and compare the observations from paintings with the collected literature and triangulate
findings from the site.
39
Methodology
Visual Content Analysis

Literature Interview for
Corroboration Music Perception
Collection of Decoding and Thick Description

Sample Space Classification of of Divine Territorialities
Architectural Elements
Framework
For analysing a Raga
Chronological Built and Unbuilt Shadanga from 1) Musician

1) Raga Theory
Segregation Segregation Kamasutra 2) Listener (Non-musician)
2) Rasa Theory
(Six principles of 3) Architect
Gestalt)
40
Outcomes
Visual Content Study Musical Interpretation Corroboration Findings
1) Sample Space in Chronological Order 1) Description of Raga from literature 1) Comparison with the same Raga’s
Ragamala of other regions
2) Decoding the built and the unbuilt 2) Transcription of interview and
analysis 2) Thick Description of a given
3) Reading the Paintings with
Kamasutra Framework Raga’s Divine Territoriality
in Bundi
Original contribution
41
Pilot Study: Ragini Bhairavi in Bundi
42
Step 1: Sample Space Collection of a given Raga
Employed Framework:
1) Bundi region
2) Chronological Segregation
43
Step 2: Reading the Paintings
Employed Framework:
1) Primary Observation and author’s opinion
2) Shadanga (Six Principles) from Kamasutra

a) Roopabhedam (Form)
b) Pramanam (Proportions)
c) Bhavam (Experience)
d) Lavanyayojanam (Beauty)
e) Sadrishyam (Function/Simile/Relatability)
f) Varnikabhangam (Colours)
3) Architectural Elements
a) Built and Unbuilt
b) Roof, Columns, Openings, Doors, Staircase, Floor
44
From Raga to Ragamala: Tracing Divine Territorialities of Bundi | Guide: Dr. Balaji Venkatachary | Vishnu Vasudevan | 16/09/22 45
Step 3: Collection of Information about Raga and Triangulation with on-site evidence
Employed Framework:
1) Treatises/ Dhyanas/ Available Literature/ Musicological

Grammar
2) Interview a musician
3) Interview a non-musician
4) Interview an architect
5) Triangulation of evidence from site (of the represented built)
Step 4: Comparison with Ragamala of the same Raga from other Regions, Description of
Raga’s Divine Territoriality
Employed Framework:
1) Sample space collection of paintings of the same raga from other regions.
2) Corroboration of all findings
46
Scope:
1) Ragamala paintings are a unique confluence of art, architecture and music. They show the artists’
interpretation of music and representation of architecture depicting particular scenes. A study of Ragamala
paintings helps connect the gaps between the various fields.
2) The study of Ragamala paintings helps understand and decode an art and architecture style exclusive to the
region - where music, art and architecture have been understood and represented.
3) The learnings from the analysis of the paintings can help understand the ethnography of the subject that
reaches musicology, anthropology and art theory.
4) The study of Ragamala paintings also has the potential to tell us about the society that was represented,
representative of the time in which they were made.
47
Limitations:
1) The sample space of the paintings is limited by occurrence.

2) Since the study’s primary resource is paintings, to understand the representation of
architecture, only representative rubrics which are exclusively abstract to art can be studied.
3) The visual content analysis is limited by the paintings’ graphical extents and can be
corroborated only by supporting literature and existing resources on cultural landscapes.
4) The inquiry is from the paintings that cover a generalised archetype of the typology in the
study.
Delimitations:
1) The sample space of the chosen paintings is specific to only the region in study.
2) The study does not seek to conduct a quantitative ethnographic survey to read and analyse the paintings
chosen in the sample space.
3) The study only seeks to inquire through painting only the typology of shrines.
4) The study’s primary aim is not to document the shrines of Bundi but to study the typology through paintings
as the primary resource of data.
48
References
Aitken, M. E. (2013). The Laud Rāgamālā Album, Bikaner, and the Sociability of Subimperial Khetarpal, R. (2019, June 29). Ragmala Paintings: Visualizing Music & Mood. The Heritage Lab.
Painting. Archives of Asian Art, 63(1), 27–58. https://www.theheritagelab.in/ragmala-paintings/
https://www.academia.edu/8548841/The_Laud_Ragamala_Album_Bikaner_and_t
he_Sociability_of_Subimperial_Painting Markel, S. (1995). Unpublished Ragmala in the Michigan Museum of Art. Roopankan: Recent Studies in
Indian Pictorial Heritage, Padmashri Ram Gopal Vijaivargiya Felicitation Volume, Pp. 70-83.
Dwivedi, B., Singh, M., & Dwivedi, R. (2014). Essence of Rajasthani Miniature: Essence of Edited by v. S. Srivastava and M. L. Gupta. Jaipur: Printwell, 1995.
Rajasthani Miniature: Essence of Rajasthani Miniature: Essence of Rajasthani https://www.academia.edu/4139408/Unpublished_Ragmala_in_the_Michigan_Museum_of_Ar
Miniature: Essence of Rajasthani Miniature: Ragamala Ragamala Ragamala t
Ragamala Ragamala Painting Painting Painting Painting Painting.
http://iisjoa.org/sites/default/files/iisjoa/2014/PDF/14%20Bhoomika%20Dwivedi%2 Mcneil, A. (2015). Ragas, Recipes, and Rasas of a single chapter of a title in Oxford Handbooks Online
0and%20Madan%20Singh%20Rathore.pdf for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy and Legal Notice). Ragas, Recipes, and
Rasas Oxford Handbooks Online. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199935321.013.43
Ebeling, K. (1973). Ragamala Painting. In Google Books. Ravi Kumar.
https://books.google.co.in/books/about/Ragamala_Painting.html?id=3_bqAAAAM Meena, M. (2010). From Shrine to Stage: The Challenges of Archiving Ritualistic Performances with
AAJ&redir_esc=y Reference to the Tejaji Ballad of Rajasthan. Www.repository.cam.ac.uk.
https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/229731
Gila, R. S. (2002). Adi Granth Paintings: Raga-Ragamala & Barah-maha. In Google Books.
Aravali Books International. Santra, M., & Maitra, N. (2018). Galaxy: International Multidisciplinary Research Journal.
https://books.google.com/books/about/Adi_Granth_paintings.html?id=4KTXAAAA https://www.the-criterion.com/V9/n5/HM01.pdf
MAAJ
Sharma, P. (1970). Rasa theory and Indian Music. Sangeet Natak Akademi.
Gold, A. G., & Gujar, B. R. (1989). Of Gods, Trees and Boundaries: Divine Conservation in http://snarepository.nvli.in/handle/123456789/2840
Rajasthan. Asian Folklore Studies, 48(2), 211. https://doi.org/10.2307/1177918
Sodhi, J. (1999). A Study of Bundi School of Painting. In Google Books. Abhinav Publications.
Goswami, B. (2013). Rāgamālā : An Unpublished Source of Indian Music. https://books.google.co.in/books?id=kj583zZs2dMC&printsec=frontcover&dq=A+Study+of+Bu
Www.academia.edu. ndi+School+of+Painting.+India:+Abhinav+Publications.&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=1&
https://www.academia.edu/24909513/R%C4%81gam%C4%81l%C4%81_An_Unp sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiMsvru58b5AhXaEKYKHf7VAs8Q6AF6BAgCEAI
ublished_Source_of_Indian_Music
Sridhar. (2011). Latent Dirichlet Allocation Model for Raga Identification of Carnatic Music. Journal of
Hegde, S., Aucouturier, J.-J., Ramanujam, B., & Bigand, E. (2012). Variations in emotional Computer Science, 7(11), 1711–1716. https://doi.org/10.3844/jcssp.2011.1711.1716
experience during phases of elaboration of North Indian Raga performance.
http://icmpc-escom2012.web.auth.gr/files/papers/412_Proc.pdf
49
to be continued…
50

Vishnu - Vasudevan - Review Presentation

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Vishnu - Vasudevan - Review Presentation

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

From Raga to Ragamala: Tracing Divine Territorialities

An Inquiry Into the Represented Architecture of Music

Vishnu Vasudevan | UG180643

Source: Merriam Webster Dictionary

The Art of Dwelling (to be able to)

Beauty Images Symbol Imagination

The Gestalt of Art

Roopabhedam Pramanam Bhavam Lavanyayojanam Sadrishyam Varnikabhangam

Source: Indian School of Muscat, Dept. of Fine Arts

The Gestalt of Architecture

Roopabhedam Pramanam Bhavam Lavanyayojanam Sadrishyam Varnikabbhangam

Source: CEPT University, Ahmedabad

Roopabhedam Pramanam Bhavam Lavanyayojanam Sadrishyam Varnikabhangam

Musical Mode Artists translating

Source: Cornell Digital Library

Architectural Intangible - Tangible Interdisciplinary

Architectural Intangible - Tangible Interdisciplinary

Source: Cornell Digital Library The depiction of available/exaggerated flora in Bundi

Architectural Intangible - Tangible Interdisciplinary

1) Represents tenderness and pathos

Source: National Museum, Delhi

Todi Ragini from Bundi, circa 1700s

Source: University College, Trivandrum Source: Google Arts and Culture

Bhairavi Ragini, Bundi Chitrashala, Taragarh Fort, Bundi

Niche shown in Ragamala painting, Niche in Bundi Fort

A shrine shown in Ragamala painting, a shrine in Bundi fort

Architectural Intangible - Tangible Interdisciplinary

Architectural Intangible - Tangible Interdisciplinary

Poetry Poetry Science

Music Architecture Poetry Art

to manifest to manifest to manifest to manifest

Music Architecture Poetry Art

to manifest to manifest to manifest to manifest

Manifestation of the song ‘Akhilandeshwari’ based on the

Composer: Muthuswamy Dikshitar | Raga: Dwijavanthi

Music Architecture Poetry Art

to manifest to manifest to manifest to manifest

The ‘rhythm’ in the pillared pavilion at Bundi fort, and Ragamala

Music Architecture Poetry Art

to manifest to manifest to manifest to manifest

Poetry epics like ‘Ramayana’ manifesting in music, architecture and art.

Music Architecture Poetry Art

to manifest to manifest to manifest to manifest

Ragini Bhairavi, AD 1700, Set 42, Cornell Digital Library

And the author calls this unworldliness as ‘divine’.

Music Architecture Poetry

Ragini Bhairavi, AD 1700, Set 42, Cornell Digital Library

Poetry (Dhyana) - Based on: Scholars

Ragamala Painting - Based on: Artists

1) What is divine territoriality?

Visual Content Analysis

Collection of Decoding and Thick Description

For analysing a Raga

Chronological Built and Unbuilt Shadanga from 1) Musician

Visual Content Study Musical Interpretation Corroboration Findings

1) Primary Observation and author’s opinion

2) Shadanga (Six Principles) from Kamasutra

1) Treatises/ Dhyanas/ Available Literature/ Musicological

1) The sample space of the paintings is limited by occurrence.

You might also like