Kirat Billi
Raja Ravi Varma1895
The Ganesh Shivaswamy Foundation
Bengaluru, India
KIRAT BHILLI: This is one of the sportive forms (lila-murthi) of Shiva and Parvathi as jungle folk. This is from an episode in the Mahabharatha. Arjuna engaged himself in severe penance in order to receive the Pashupatastra from Lord Shiva. Shiva manifested himself as a hunter (Kirat). At that very moment a demon, in the form of a boar tried to disturb the penance. Both Shiva and Arjuna simultaneously shot arrows at the boar killing it. An altercation arose between Shiva and Arjuna as to who actually killed the boar. Shiva finally revealed himself and granted the Pashupatastra upon Arjuna.
This print by the Ravi Varma Press derived from a painting by Raja Ravi Varma depicts Shiva as a hunter with two arms carrying a trident and shield. Parvathi is also attired as a huntress holding a bow with a quiver of arrows on her back.
- Title: Kirat Billi
- Creator: Raja Ravi Varma, Ravi Varma Fine Art Lithographic Press, Bombay
- Date Created: 1895
- Physical Dimensions: 50 x 35 cms
- Provenance: The Hemamalini and Ganesh Shivaswamy Collection, Bengaluru.
- Subject Keywords: Raja Ravi Varma, Shiva, Raja Ravi Varma, Gigapixel
- Type: Chromolithograph
- Rights: The Ganesh Shivaswamy Foundation, Bengaluru.
- Creator's Biography: Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906) was a prolific Indian artist who is recognized for his resorting to the academic realistic style of painting. His portraits of English and Indian royalty and aristocracy were well received. His paintings on Hindu religious and mythological subjects and paintings from classical and literary sources were highly sought after even during his lifetime. He painted several copies of his works and this demand led to the suggestion to have his paintings printed in the form of oleographs. The Ravi Varma Fine Art Lithographic Press was established in Bombay (now Mumbai) and commenced operations in 1894. Many of Ravi Varma's paintings were printed as chromolithographs at this Press. These chromolithographs would have a tremendous impact on religion, society and aesthetics. They went on to democratize art leading to immortalize Ravi Varma in the minds of the people of the Indian subcontinent.
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