Hamsa Damayanti Samvad

HAMSA DAMAYANTI SAMVAD: Damayanti is the daughter of Bhima, the king of Vidarbha. The legend of Damayanti is found in the Mahabharata, Vana-Parva. At the same time, Nala was a prince born to Virasena, the king of Nishadha. The swans which came to the palace of Damayanti extolled praises for Nala and also told Nala of Damayanti’s extraordinary beauty. The messages of love being carried to and fro by the swans, Nala and Damayanti fell in love with each other.

This print by the Ravi Varma press is derived from a painting by Raja Ravi Varma which depicts Damayanti acknowledging a message from the swan and is from a painting in the collection of the Jagan Mohan Palace, Mysore.