The god Krishna and the milkmaid Radha meet on a stormy night. The poet Keshavdas (1561-1623) describes how Radha’s feet “crush the serpents’ heads as they coil round her legs; ghouls and goblins are everywhere. She is oblivious of the downpour; nor does she hear the cacophony of the cicadas.” Above, streaks of lightning fan out across black clouds.
Paint and gold on paper