Pichwai for Nandmahotsav, Performing Aarti on the day following Janmastami
by Unknown Artist
Nathdwara
circa 1900
Natural pigments, silver and gold on cloth
54.25 x 33.5 in. (137.8 x 85.1 cm.)
The Nandmahotsav festival is a re-enactment of the grand celebration held by Nanda for his foster son Krishna. During this celebration, villagers from Vraj danced in festive colours and doused each other with milk and curd.
The pichwai represents the joyous scene of celebration at the Nathdwara shrine with priests re-enacting the event. Shrinathji wears a saffron tight-fitting coat and wears a turban with seven peacock feathers as Govardhanlalji is shown performing the aarti as another Gossainji holds a fan. Nanda holds a rattle while Yashoda rocks the new-born Navnitpriyaji in a golden cradle. At the lower end of the pichwai, there are a group of dancers. The border frame depicts Shrinathji in his twenty-four shrinagaras with Vallabhacharyaji to his right and Vitthalnathji to the left in the lower panels.