Before TV and posters, Raja Ravi Varma's prints gave Hindu gods their modern face

India Today

29-04-2025

Whether Lord Ram or Vishnu, the heroic warriors of the Ramayana and Mahabharata, Goddess of prosperity and wealth, Lakshmi, Shakuntala of Kalidasa, the King of Baroda, or Swami Vivekananda, there is one name that brings them all under the visual memory of modern India: Raja Ravi Varma. Mythology, literature, and history took on a new life in his paintings -- one that reached from the court to the common household.It was he who not only popularised the faces of Hindu deities in Indian households but visualised them as human beings, bringing them closer to the public.Raja Ravi Varma's art not only revived traditional Indian themes but also introduced them to the Western world, blending European techniques with Indian iconography.Raja Ravi Varma was born on April 29, 1848, in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Varma's paintings require no introduction. His way of presenting Hindu gods made it possible for the common people to connect with them, so they reached Indian households on a mass level.Varma, in the words of Geeta Kapoor, an Indian art historian and critic, is the indisputable father figure of modern Indian art.
Hindu deity Karttikeya or Murugan with his consorts on his Vahana peacock. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
It is interesting to note that the works of Raja Ravi Varma went on to touch the shores of the Western world. Verma deity paintings were exhibited in America in 1893 at the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, the same event where the West witnessed Swami Vivekananda's famous "brothers and sisters" speech.The paintings exhibited were dedicated to the ethnography section, a field of study dedicated to the scientific description of peoples and cultures with their customs, habits, and mutual differences. Such a placement of his art remains debated today.Since the works of other painters were exhibited in the arts section, Arbin Newmyer writes in Popular Indian Art, that it "shows the discrimination towards Varma's work. To some extent, it could be said that the work of an Indian artist wasn't wanted by the West to be given the credit."
Rama and Sita, with Hanuman, and Rama's three brothers Lakshmana, Bharata, and Shatrughna (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
This incident did not deter Raja Ravi Varma's work. The exhibition became the first one where the world could witness the depiction of Hindu gods.advertisementUSE OF WESTERN TECHNIQUES IN INDIAN ARTRaja Ravi Varma adopted European realism in a manner that made it appear as his own. The greatness of Raja Varma's work showed how he blended Western oil painting techniques with traditional Indian iconography in a profound way.This fusion resulted in artwork that was culturally rich and strikingly lifelike, leaving an impact on generations of artists.
Goddess Lakshmi by Raja Ravi Varma (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
As one of the most prolific Indian artists, he is said to have created over 2,000 paintings before taking sanyas.Menaka, the nymph, seduces the sage Vishwamitra; Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, sits on a lotus flower; Vishnu sits on his steed Garuda, holding a serpent wrapped in its claws; a lady holds a fruit, looking innocent in silence -- these paintings by Raja Ravi Varma adorn the walls of many Indian homes. Particularly in the south, his prints are found in the puja room -- the room reserved for daily prayer.advertisementOne of Raja Ravi Varma's well-known works is Shakuntala. In this painting, she bends as if to pick something from the ground, but she is truly looking back to catch a glimpse of Dushyanta, her lover.
Shakuntala lost in thoughts by Raja Ravi Varma (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
The moment is drawn from the Mahabharata and shows quiet longing through a simple act.Varma, for his work, was given the title Kaiser-e-Hind (a medal for services to the British Raj).One of the most intriguing aspects of Raja Ravi Varma's own legacy is how his work escaped the art world and was welcomed into the realm of ordinary people.His paintings were converted into lithographs, meaning that numerous reproductions could be produced. They circulated through towns and villages, introducing his artwork into homes, stores, and places of worship.Raja Ravi Varma's hand did not rest solely on the forms of gods and kings. He turned his gaze also upon the lives of common folk, painting scenes and faces known to many.In his work, one finds women of various lands and dress, each drawn with care, showing the ways of daily life, of grace in simplicity.
Galaxy of Musicians by Raja Ravi Varma (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
Raja Ravi Varma's Galaxy of Musicians is a lesser-known work that shows women from different parts of India, each playing a musical instrument tied to their region. From the veena to the tabla, the scene reflects India's musical traditions.Their attire hints at their origin, and their faces, calm and focused, show a shared moment through music.FOUNDING THE MOST ADVANCED PRESS OF THE TIMEOn the advice of the Dewan of Travancore, T Madhava Rao, Raja Ravi Varma established this lithographic press in Ghatkopar, Bombay, in 1894.At this press, he largely created paintings of Lord Rama, Krishna, characters from the Mahabharata, and other figures from Indian mythology and history.These pictures, called oleographs, became very popular and were printed in large numbers, even after Ravi Varma's death in 1906.One of his famous works, Tilotama, was also printed at the same press. This relatively unknown work later became one of the most expensive paintings ever auctioned from his collection.
Painting of Tilotama by Raja Ravi Varma (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
advertisementThough it was the largest press in India at the time, it did not make money under the care of his brother, Raja Varma. By 1899, it was in debt and was sold in 1901 to Fritz Schleicher, a German technician. Schleicher kept printing Ravi Varma's works and later brought in new artists.The press ran for many years, but in 1972 a great fire burned it down, and many of the old prints were lost forever.Although his legacy might raise controversy, Indian art was never the same once Raja Ravi Varma appeared on the scene.India's art stretches deep into time, from the rock markings of Bhimbetka to the painted walls of Ajanta and Ellora. Under the Satavahanas, and later the Kushans, art took many forms -- stone, colour, and form.The Gupta age brought forth grace in sculpture, remembered still. In the south, the Cholas and Pandyas carried it forward; in the north, Rajput hands did the same.
Ravana, killing Jatayu who was encountering Ravana to save Seetha, wife of Sri Rama. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
Yet it was Raja Ravi Varma who brought sacred figures to the common eye, printing gods and tales upon canvas, and placing them in the homes of many.As Manu Pillai states in his book False Allies, "He was a man of many parts. He had land and wealth, yet he held strong to his purpose. He worked with passion, was bold in thought, spoke well, made useful ties, and saw art as more than beauty -- it was a means to reach the people and shape the world around him."