Raga Hindola with Ragini Telangi-Based on Indian classical musical mode

Raga Hindola, one of the six main ragas of Indian classical music is associated with the swing festival of the month of Phalguna. Hindola, which literally means the swing, is also associated with the month of Sravana and the festival of Teej. Teej is celebrated throughout northern India and particularly in Rajasthan with gaiety. This festival is also observed as a ritual of Krishna in the monthSravana – Bhadhon as Jhulana-yatra of Krishna – the swing festival of Krishna.

It is said that Hindola the king of ragas, originated from the navel of the Creator- Brahma. Four- headed Brahma is seated under a white canopy and holding a lotus flower, book, pot and rosary in his four hands and is accompanied by two sages. The artist painted raga Hindola seated in front of Brahma as his spiritual son. Accordingly he is extremely handsome and elegantly dressed in a red costume. His ivory white complexion is shinning like the rays of the full moon. The gorgeous costume, rich embroidered sash of the raga Hindola and his finely rubies and precious stones. He is shown holding a flower in his right hand and the hilt of a long sword in the left.

Shahjahan is known for his love for art and architecture and his legendary love for his queen Mumtaj Mahal. He built the famous monument of India the Taj-Mahal – a marble monarch in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaj, who died in 1631 just three years after his ascent to the throne.

After the death of Mumtaj Mahal, Shahjahan began feeling lonely at Agra and decided to shift to Delhi. He was a visionary. He not only built the beautiful Taj Mahal but also laid the foundation for his new capital Shahjahanabad, comprising of a town, a fort (Red Fort) and a massive mosque popularly known as Jama Masjid of Delhi. The project took some ten years to complete and in 1648 the Mughal capital finally shifted from Agra to Shahjahanabad and with it returned to Delhi its past glory and glamour.

In 1658, his younger son Aurangzeb revolted against him. He arrested him and put him in house arrest at the fort in Agra. He spent his last days in gloom and gazing at the Taj Mahal across the river Yamuna where his beloved Mumtaj was buried. Though Shahjahan created Taj a monument of love, an elegy in marble, a legend in stone or a reality so unbelievable only to house the mortal remains of his beloved wife Mumtaj but later his son Aurangzeb also buried him there.