Jhulana Yatra Festival
Artist: Garam Hardev
Rajasthan, Nathadwara, ca. 1900-1920
Ink on paper
Dimensions: 29 ½ x 19 ¾ (75.5 x 50.3 cm)

A small image of Krishna, dressed in garlands and a peacock feather, has been placed on a large and elaborate swing shrine that has been lovingly decorated with flowers and glass. Three priests attend the deity. Two hold a flywhisk and a fan while the third gently pushes the swing with a hand covered in a cloth. Worshippers and musicians gather in the foreground. The inscriptions in the drawing indicate the proper color to be used for the final painting. The unusually large size of the drawing indicates it served probably as a study for a pichawai or a wall painting.

The Jhulana Yatra is one of the important swing festivals held in honor of Krishna in Nathadwara. It takes place over a five-day period during Sravana in the monsoon season, which is the fifth month of the year and corresponds to the end of July to the end of August. It celebrates Krishna’s love for leisure and pleasure, as effigies of the deity are placed on swings and swayed by thousands of adoring worshippers.