Bhagalpur Gicha Saree. Blue-Red Floral Design

This painting, by Bahadur Chitrakar, is a scene from the Manasa Mangal, also known as Padmapuran, a folk lore based on Hindu mythology. The deity of snakes, Devi Manasa is one of the protagonists of the story who compels Chand Saudagar, a rich businessman, to worship her by hook or crook. Chand was a worshipper of Shiva and he would never want to pay homage to Manasa. To fulfil her desire, Manasa sends her snakes to bite Chand’s son Lakhindar to death. Behula, the wife of Lakhindar, takes all the pain to make piece between Manasa and Chand, and subsequently gets back her husband to life. 

Devi Durga is essentially seen as the super power destroying the asuras; but she is a loving mother too. in this painting we can see that she is holding her son Ganesha in her lap with utmost love, care and fondness. It depicts mothers love in a woman who can be as fierce at times too, to save her children from the evil. This is a very famous concept amongst the Bengalis which narrate the power of woman, who can destroy and who can create and preserve at the same time. A painting by Bahadur Chitrakar