Indian mythology and texts like Mahabharata
attribute the art of painting to Lord Vishnu.
It is said that when Nara and Narayana were
in penance in Badari grove, celestial damsels
were sent by Lord Indra to disturb them.
At that moment Narayana took a fresh mango
leaf and with its juice sketched on his
thigh the most beautiful maiden ‘Urvashi’.
In front of Urvashi other celestial beauties
were not able to hold even for a moment.
A panel at Deogarh also illustrates this
divine origin of the painting.
|