The Essence of Shringar Raas!!

 This one particular pic has stayed with me forever, i feel,it actually summarizes the entire context of Shringar Raas! Come to think of the Shringar Raas, the eternal love story of Sri Radhika - Krishna remains symbolic to it. Eternal lovers, both earthy, erotic as well as divine, they have given music, dance, poetry and art an endlessly fascinating subject. Krishna, with his magic flute and peacock feather, his ability to flirtatiously swoon both men and women alike (perhaps poets needed an icon around which they could weave the spell of Shringar Ras!) The same goes for Sri Radhika, who appears gloriously as a well-rounded naayika (heroine).What’s wonderful about their romance is that nature is fully integrated within them..dark, billowing clouds, prancing peacocks,love struck parrots, branches laden with blossoms, writhing snakes and curving rivulets are as lovingly portrayed as the human figures.

Set in beautiful, marble palaces, with fountains and well laid out gardens, the symbolic betel leaf rolled into the customary 'paan',mosaics, flowers, pigeon messengers and poisoned chalices, both Krishna and Sri Radhika paved ways for the lives of generations of suave young men and beautiful women in swirling, silken skirts and diaphanous chunnis and scarves,casting sideward glances from behind fans, screens and latticed windows.