The frame bears an inscription at the back that reads: “Certified that these manuscript pages are from the scripture ‘BhagwatPuran’ attributed to the late 18th century. Province unknown.These pages depict the women of the village of Brindavan near Mathura, paying their homage to the baby Krishna seated in his mother’s arms. Mohenjodaro”.
A purana is a genre of Hindu narration, usually a conversation about Hindu mythology. The BhagvataPurana is one of the most important one, a conversation between King Parikshit and Sage Sukdev, telling of Vishnu’s 10 avatars.
These manuscript folios illustrates the childhood of Krishna, eighth and most popular and worshiped incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu.
The scene depicted relates to the moment when Krishna was given to Yashoda, His foster mother and the people from the village of Brindavan visit him.
In the BhagvataPurana it is described that Krishna was the son of the princess Devaki and husband Vasudeva. He was born in a prison cell in a place known as Krishnajanmabhoomi. As his life was his danger, he was given to Yashoda and her husband Nanda by his father in order to protect him from his uncle Kansa, the king of Mathura.