Dhruv Narayan
Ravi Varma Press1890
Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation
Bengaluru, India
Dhruva or the pole star is the story of the young boy, whose intense determination to go through a severe penance to seek the blessings of Lord Vishnu has been repeated since time immemorial. Born to King Uttanapada and Suniti, Dhruva, on being chided by the king's second wife Suruchi, goes away to the forest when just five, to seek the lord's blessings. Nothing sways the young boy's path and reciting the sacred mantra "Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya" repeatedly, Dhruva's determination knows no bounds and the lord immensely pleased with the boy's austerity, appears before him and grants him a boon. Dhruva, who is only filled with thoughts of Vishnu, seeks a simple boon that he will forever remember him.
- Title: Dhruv Narayan
- Creator: Ravi Varma Press
- Date Created: 1890
- Location Created: Karla, Lonvala, India
- Physical Dimensions: 35x50 cm
- Type: Reproduction
- Original Source: From the Sandeep & Gitanjali Maini Foundation
- Rights: Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation, Bengaluru
- Labels and Inscriptions: Ravi Varma Press, Karla, Lonavala
- About the Artist: Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906), India’s foremost artist, who took art to the masses, hailed from Kilimanoor, in the erstwhile state of Travancore. From a very young age, Ravi Varma, was drawn towards art, imbibing techniques from his uncle and mentor Raja Raja Varma and his mother, Umayamba Bayi, a poet in her own right. Varma was much sought after by the Royals and owing to his popularity and reputation, his spectacular and richly-textured works were prolific. His realistic portrayals of contemporary figures and interpretations of religious and mythological figures fetched him instant and enduring success, lifting his standing in the art world. If the Royals and his countrymen were in awe of this great talent, the international world was spellbound by his imagination and creativity. He ensured that art would be accessible to all, through reproductions of his paintings which were made available, and affordable to everyone.
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