An illustration to a Ragamala series: Khokhar Ragaputra of Malkos Raga, India, Sub-imperial Mughal, circa 1610-20

Khokhar ragaputra, sometimes referred to as Shoshar, is the eighth son of Malkos raga. In Kshemakarna’s text on the ragamala system, this ragaputra is described as a young man, dressed in loose-fitting clothing, dancing merrily to the music of clouds (or thunder) and the beating of drums. The music of the ragaputra when played is compared to the sound of a parrot (Ebeling 1973, p.74).

The illustrated series to which this painting belongs is thought to be the earliest ragamala series based on Kshemakarna’s text. For a note on the series, see the preceding lot. For a further illustration from the series, see lot 151.