Question

The illustrated "Bhramaragita" painted in Mewar School in 1650 CE, based on Bhagavata Purana is written by which of the following poets?

• A. Kalidasa
• B. Kabirdasa
• C. Ravidas
• D. Surdasa

Hint:

For themes of Krishna's life in Rajput miniature painting, especially from the Braj region's influence, associate the literary source with the great devotional poet Surdas.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Identify the "Bhramaragita." It is a famous section from the tenth book of the Bhagavata Purana, which describes the gopis' conversation with Uddhava and a bee (bhramara).
Step 2: Connect the text to its poetic tradition. While the Bhagavata Purana is an ancient Sanskrit text, its stories were popularized in the medieval period through devotional poetry in vernacular languages. The 16th-century blind poet Surdasa (or Surdas) was a foremost devotee of Krishna and composed a vast body of poetry about his life, collected in the {Sursagar}. His version of these stories, written in Braj Bhasha, was immensely influential.
Step 3: Link the poetry to the painting school. The painters of the Mewar School, like other Rajput schools, drew heavily on this popular devotional literature for their subjects. Therefore, the illustrated manuscript is based on the poetic tradition of Surdasa.