The Hindu epic Mahabharata and the later Bhagavata Purana describe Krishna’s marriage to the beautiful and virtuous princess Rukmini (considered by some an incarnation of the goddess Lakshmi; see painting nearby). Arranged against her will to be married to another, the texts tell of how Krishna arrived at the temple just before Rukmini’s wedding, took her away in a chariot to his golden city Dwarka, and married her instead.
This painting depicts Krishna and Rukmini’s wedding ceremony. She sits under a canopy beside the crowned blue-skinned god, her face demurely covered by her odhni (shawl or large scarf), as the priest officiates over the nuptial rituals. Set against a plain, dark background with no supporting details to describe a wedding—such as a golden palace, guests, lavish costumes, and presents, etc.—the painting poignantly focuses on the event’s intimacy.