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*Migration Histories > South Asian > Origins
* Scenes from Everyday Life 
 
The British wanted images of everyday scenes such as the vendors at the market selling grain, fruits and vegetables. The paintings show that the markets of 1850 are very similar to the food markets in India today. Religious castes and occupations were also very popular subjects, especially in South India. People were usually depicted in pairs, as with this set of three mendicant couples with various instruments used in worship and daily life. This painting comes from a book of 30 pages depicting castes, occupations, methods of cultivation and procession scenes. Groups of images were commonly compiled into books, and presented as gifts or saved as mementos.

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Three religious mendicant couples. (Tanjore, c.1830) 1)The man bearing on his head five pots, with plants protruding from them, is a devotee of the goddess Shitala or Maryamma, who guards against smallpox.
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Three religious mendicant couples. (Tanjore, c.1830) 1)The man bearing on his head five pots, with plants protruding from them, is a devotee of the goddess Shitala or Maryamma, who guards against smallpox. He is holding a small cylindrical drum and carrying a skin bag. 2)The man beating a mridanga, a type of drum, the woman carrying above her head a shrine with a seated figure of Shitala. 3)The man carrying a bowl, stick and razor, the woman carrying a baby and a bowl.
* Moving Here catalogue reference (V&A) IS.39:10-1987
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Four women selling food-grains, vegetables and fruit. By Indian artist Shiva Dayal Lal (c.1820-80) of Patna. (c. 1850)
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Four women selling food-grains, vegetables and fruit. By Indian artist Shiva Dayal Lal (c.1820-80) of Patna. (c. 1850)
* Moving Here catalogue reference (V&A) IS.66-1949
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Creators: Sarah Paul

 
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