f.21
recto:

Lal and a follower, late 17th century.

A painting of a seated dervish dressed in dark green robes with flowers in his turban holding a bow (without arrows). Beside him is a bearded man seated with yoga patta, or mediataion band, around his legs with a straight-bladed sword at his side.

The inscription at the top names the figure on the right as Lal, a dervish born in Malwa during the reign of Jahangir.


verso:

Bear trainer and his bear, 17th century.

A small, circular painting of a sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) and its trainer embracing in an open landscape, with the trainer's stick lying in the ground before them. Members of the Kalandar nomadic tribe are known to have trained sloth bears to dance at the Mughal court in the 17th century.

The painting has been placed at the centre of an illuminated panel with floral arabesques in blue, orange, pink and gold. 


For further information on this album see RCIN 1005069.