Kalighat painting, mahant turning an oil press, watercolour and tin alloy on paper, Kolkata, ca. 1890

Painting, watercolour and tin alloy on paper, depicting an episode of the Tarakeshwar affair; an image of the Mahant with yellow flesh tones and a red dhoti working at a black oil press, whilst an armed guard wearing a red tunic and black cap is standing next to him. The warder has his right hand raised and is holding a gun in his left hand.

An episode of the Tarakeshwar affair; an image of the Mahant with yellow flesh tones and a red dhoti working at a black oil press, whilst an armed guard wearing a red tunic and black cap is standing next to him. The warder has his right hand raised and is holding a gun in his left hand.

Given by Ernest H. Hindley, Esq., Lightcliffe[?], Shepherd's Hill, Highgate, N

The Tarakeshwar murder case of 1873 was a public scandal in Calcutta based on an affair between Elokeshi the young attractive wife of Nabinchandra Banerji and the mahant or chief priest of the Shiva temple at Tarakeshwar. Upon discovery of the affair, on 27 May 1873 her jealous husband Nabinchandra Banerji cut Elokeshi's throat with a fish knife. In the trial that followed Nabin was sentenced to life imprisonment and the Mahant was fined and imprisoned for 3 years. Different variations of this affair favouring the various characters occur in several Bengali plays and Kalighat images between 1875-80. See Archer p12.

Historical significance: Calcutta was recognised as the Capital of British India from 1833-1912. By the 1830s, artists had arrived from rural villages in Bengal and began to produce paintings that reflected local history, mythology, customs and conflicts of a colonised society. As a popular art form, these artists are recognised for their use of brilliant colour, simplified images and swift brushstrokes that became the hallmark of Kalighat painting in the 19th and early 20th century.

IM.138-1914