Madalasa and Rutadwaja

MADALASA AND RUTADWAJA: Rutadwaja was the King of Kasi and Madalasa was his wife. A demon called Patalaketu abducted Madalasa as he was also infatuated with Madalasa. Patalaketu was also disturbing the penance of a sage, Galava. One day, the sage, in frustration looked to the heavens when a horse appeared from the sky with a divine instruction that the horse would travel a thousand yoganas a day. The sage received the horse and gifted it to Rutadwaja who rode the horse and killed the demon Patalaketu.

This print from the Ravi Varma Press and derived from a painting by Raja Ravi Varma depicts the courtship of Madalasa and Rutadwaja. The print is also called “A proposal of Marriage.”