Varaha

Description

Originally published by the Ravi Udaya-Vijaya Press in Ghatkopar, this print circulated widely across India, bringing divine imagery into the homes of common devotees.

Historical context

This sacred image depicts the third avatar of Lord Vishnu, Varaha, the divine boar, who emerged from the cosmic waters to rescue the Earth from the depths of the primordial ocean. Raja Ravi Varma, a master of bridging the gap between traditional Indian iconography and Western academic realism, captures the majesty of this cosmic salvation. In this lithograph, we see Varaha standing triumphantly within the churning waves, holding the Earth globe upon his tusk with gentle strength. The figure, bathed in an ethereal green hue, embodies both the ferocity of the wild boar and the supreme tranquility of the divine preserver. Through the mass production of these prints, Ravi Varma democratized access to the divine, allowing millions of households to invite the presence of the gods into their daily lives and personal prayers.