Navaneeta Krishna

This image of the child Krishna, squatting on his golden throne with the pot of butter in his tiny hands, a form widely known as navaneeta Krishna, is the most loved theme of Tanjore artists. Elaborately bejewelled all over his person but without a piece of costume to cover his privacy, the navaneeta Krishna does not so much impress by his divinity as he delights with his child-like innocence. With mischief in eyes and bewitching smile on lips he has not only grabbed the pot of butter but has also taken away from it a butter-ball which he might put into his mouth any time.

The figure of the navaneeta Krishna has been placed under the main arch comprising black background, while the side arches, comprising red background, house under them the figures of Yashoda and Rohini. Under the arch on Krishna’s right stands the Tanjore king Shivaji II (1833 – 1855) who took Tanjore art to its ever greatest heights. He is paying homage to the Navaneeta Krishna. The beads inlaid over the central part of the pot reveal three sacred Vaishnava motifs, disc, threefold vertical forehead mark and conch.