Illustration to (one of the Hundred Aspects of) Vishnu Satnaam, Krishna, counsellor to Arjuna - Bikaner, Early 19th Century

Medium: Opaque watercolour on wasli
Source: indianminiaturepaintings.co.uk/

Folio from a Tantric manuscript on Ekadashi, the 11th tithi of shukla paksha - Jaipur c1800

Medium: Opaque water-colour with gold on wasli
Aspects of time in this Tantric system include the 15 tithis (lunar days) of shukla paksha (lit. 'the bright phase'). Tithis have an astrological significance and Ekadashi is considered auspicious so is important when it comes to planning occasions such as weddings and diksha ceremonies held for inordination into a sampradeya (religious order). According to the text and as is shown in the painting, the swami (lord) of this tithi is Vishwedeva with a vahana (mount) of a mriga(deer/antelope/black-buck).

Source: indianminiaturepaintings.co.uk

Preparation for the Nuth Uterwai ceremony at a courtesan's kotha. Awadh - Late 18th Century

Medium: Opaque watercolour with gold on wasli, laid down on later thin card

On the terrace of a kotha (where courtesans entertain clients) pavilion, the central figure of a naika (approximating a brothel madam) smokes a huqqa. Around her tawaifs (courtesans) sing as part of a Nuth Uterwai ceremony in which the reclining young virginal woman wearing a flower garland will be deflowered and hence initiated into her new profession.

The folio was at some time after its production inscribed on front and back with fanciful attributions: below the inner borders red Persian script "Pashahi Zadeh badr al-nisa Begum"; at the foot in English: "No.40 Budoorul Nisa Begum of Bagdad"; on the reverse: "Pashazadi Badranisha". Each is a reminder to dealers and collectors of the problems inherent in inscriptions on Indian miniatures which were often added at a later date and as nothing more than guesswork entirely without foundation. Perhaps in this case a dealer hoped the painting might more easily find a buyer if it was showing not a courtesan but a more exotic Oriental figure, a begum of Baghdad.

Source: indianminiaturepaintings.co.uk

Colour Plates from the Book Nine Ideal Indian Women by Maharanee Sunity Devee of Cooch Behar - 1919

Stories of the nine great women from Indian Mythologies written by Maharani Sunity Devi. The nine great women of this book are Sati, Sunity, Sakuntala, Savitri, Shaibya, Sita, Promila, Damayanti and Uttara.

Her Highness, Maharani Suniti Devi ( or Sunity Devi ) CIE (1864-1932) was the Maharani of Princely state of Koch Bihar, India.
In 1887, her husband, Maharja Nipendra Narayan was awarded GCIE and she was awarded CIE. Suniti Devi became the first Indian women to be awarded CIE. She attended the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Queen Victoria in 1898 and Delhi Durbar of 1911 with her husband, the Maharaja of Cooch Behar. She along with her sister, the Maharani of Mayurbhanj, Sucharu Devi, were noted for their elegant style dressing.
Know more about her in Wikipedia

Illustrations: S N Das
Read the Full Book Here