Sri Nath-Ji in a temple pavilion, surrounded by images of priests and aristocratic devotees, Nathdwara, Kotah, late 19th Century

gouache and gold on paper, green and red borders
240 x 320 mm.

The central section appears to depict the festival of Annakuta ('the mountain of food'), commemorating Krishna's lifting of Mount Govardhan (symbolised by the large pile of rice, as well as Sri Nath-Ji's raised left arm). The scenes at centre left and centre right depict the cult mystics Vitthalnathji and Vallabhacharya, who lived in the 15th and 16th Centuries. There are various other goswamis, but the figure at lower right, with his moustache and distinctive eyebrows, appears to be Tilayakat Govardhanlalji (1862-1934).

For Sri Nath-Ji and his cult in general, see A. Ambalal, Krishna as Shrinathji: Rajasthani paintings from Nathdvara, Ahmedabad 1987: for Annakuta, pp. 30-33; for Vitthalnathji and Vallabhacharya, pp. 42-48. Tilayakat Govardhanlalji is illustrated on p. 140, in a painting dated circa 1900. For another depiction of Annakuta, on a picchavai, see R. Skelton, Rajasthani Temple Hangings of the Krishna Cult, New York 1973, pp. 52-53, no. 11.