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In Simla district the Gopal Mandir at village Shogi about 10 km before Simla
has also a number of paintings and the style of drawing is very refined. The themes are
Radha and Krishna, Siva and Parvati, Vishnu reclining on the Sesanaga and killing
Hiranyakasipu. A panel from the Ramayana depicts Rama on horse back, followed by his three
brothers and the faithful Hanumana and Sugriva. Secularism had penetrated in the paintings
of the 19th century and we find in one painting Laila offering a cup of drink to Majnu.
There is a tender illustration of the Todi Ragini painted delicately. The forlorn
love-tossed girl is playing on her string instrument while a slick dear is looking at her
with sympathy.
The paintings of Kulu temples have to be seen
to be admired. One excellent Devi mural of Kulu representing the goddess Tripura-Sundri
had been shifted to the National Museum, New Delhi." It is a big panel and covers the
entire wall from the ground to the ceiling and represents the goddess Tripurasundri, an
aspect of Durga or the Devi. The theme relates itself to the three worlds-svarga, martya
and patala-paying homage to the goddess who was the most beautiful in all the three
worlds. In order to illustrate this the artist tried to create a universe in motion with
entire humanity coming to the palace of the Devi or getting ready to do so, or just
meditating on her or singing her praise. In this painting are found the common people on
foot, princes and princesses in their chariots, female and male soldiers, other gods and
goddesses in their chariots along with their devotees, all proceeding in crowds to the
palace of Tripurasundri. Elephants, horses, deer etc. are also seen in this crowd. The
primacy of the Devi in this temple is sought to be shown in other ways as well. In one of
the panels her consort, Siva, is represented as performing the Tandava dance while she
sits at the top of the panel on a lotus pedestal.
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