Raja Sidh Sen of Mandi Offering a Bowl of Bhang to Shiva

Currently not on view

Raja Sidh Sen of Mandi Offering a Bowl of Bhang to Shiva

c. 1711-1725

Attributed to Master of the Court at Mandi (Indian (northern India, Mandi, Panjab Hills))

Royal portraits sometimes show rulers in the company of gods. In this painting, the Hindu god Shiva sits next to Raja Sidh Sen, king of the state of Mandi (ruled c. 1684-1727). A famous warrior, Sidh Sen was an ardent devotee of Shiva and thought to be proficient in tantric (magical-devotional) practices. The king offers Shiva a bowl of bhang, a marijuana drink to inspire the god's wild dance. Shiva is portrayed as an ascetic who sits meditating, hair matted, his nearly naked body covered with ashes. Interestingly, the artist has overlapped the two figures, perhaps alluding to the Hindu concept that royalty and renunciation are intertwined.

Currently not on view

Object Details

Title:

Raja Sidh Sen of Mandi Offering a Bowl of Bhang to Shiva

Date:

c. 1711-1725

Artist:

Attributed to Master of the Court at Mandi (Indian (northern India, Mandi, Panjab Hills))

Medium:

Opaque watercolor on paper

Dimensions:

Image: 10 × 6 3/8 inches (25.4 × 16.2 cm) Sheet: 10 1/4 × 7 inches (26 × 17.8 cm)

Classification:

Paintings

Credit Line:

Stella Kramrisch Collection, 1994

Accession Number:

1994-148-504

Geography:

Made in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, India, Asia

We are always open to learning more about our collections and updating the website. Does this record contain inaccurate information or language that you feel we should improve or change? Contact us here.

Please note that this particular artwork might not be on view when you visit. Don’t worry—we have plenty of exhibitions for you to explore.

Currently not on view