Raag Putra-Deshakha (Wrestlers)
16th– 17th century CE
TSM Accession: P-4288
Pleach No: PIF/00DMP65
Title: Raag Putra-Deshakha
Style:Bijapur School – Deccani Miniature
Artist: Unknown
Medium: Watercolor on paper
Dimensions: 22 x 15 cms
Period: 16th- 17th century CE
Rights: Telangana State Museum, Hyderabad
Documented by: Pleach India Foundation, Hyderabad
This colorful painting from the Ragamala series demonstrates wrestlers engaged in acrobatic performances based on Deccani martial arts of the 16th and 17th centuries CE, representing Raga-putra Deshakha, one of the offshoots of the main ragas.
Deshakha is the only raga associated with physical strength and prowess, which is why it features an athletic iconography. The artwork showcases five muscular men, bare-chested except for tight, short, earthy-colored dhotis, within a wrestling arena or gymnasium, engaging in vigorous physical activities.
