India/Nepal: 'Forlorn Heroine (Proshitabhartruka)'. Watercolour painting appended to a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies), c. 1650. Proshitabhartruka is the woman whose husband has gone away from her for some business and does not return on the appointed day. She is depicted seated mourning, surrounded by her maids, but refuses to be consoled. The Ashta-Nayika is a collective name for eight types of nayikas or heroines as classified by Bharata in his Sanskrit treatise on performing arts, the Natya Shastra. The eight nayikas represent eight different states (avastha) in relationship to her hero.

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Size: 3752px × 4663px
Photo credit: © Pictures From History / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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