The remote hills of India are inhabited by tribals that subsist on wild grains, fruit, berries, herbs, honey as well as fodder and firewood that is gathered from the forest. At the end of the day men and women come home with heavy loads much to the happiness of those waiting for them all day. Mumbiram is immensely attracted to that life close to nature. He experiences echoes of the pastoral scenes of Krishna’s boyhood leelas in the forests of Vrindavan. Of course young boys and girls meet in the forest and there are all sorts of loving exchanges that take place.

It is unfortunate that the ‘civilized’ world of city people more often than not misses out on the very beautiful and touching human side of the tribals that live a life that is closer to the life of adolescent Krishna that is considered to be the ultimate object of meditation by the revered scriptures of India.

These renderings are examples of how enlightenment and aesthetic are intimately intertwined in the Rasa masterpieces of Mumbiram.

In private collection in Luebeck Germany

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