c. 1790-1800

The Night before the Battle

The Mahabharata, one of the major sacred Hindu texts, tells the story of a great battle between two rival families of cousins, the Pandavas and the Kauravas. When both groups seek the help of the god Krishna, he offers the Pandava leader, Arjuna, a choice: to have Krishna’s huge army fight with the Pandavas or to have Krishna, alone and unarmed, as his charioteer. On the night before the battle, the mustachioed Arjuna sits in his tent facing Krishna and deliberates this difficult decision. The two sit on a luxurious embroidered rug, which, in turn, rests on an impressive lattice-and-flower pile carpet that fills the full expanse of the massive tent. Textile furnishings such as these served as portable garden palaces when the royal court was on the go.