The legend behind Hamsa Damayanti
Raja Ravi Varma’s painting captures a pivotal moment in the story of the protagonist, Damayanti. Her legend is one of the many strands that compose the Mahabharata, and is remembered for its attributes of loyalty, love, conviction and persistence.
Damayanti, the princess of the Vidarbha kingdom, was famed for her beauty. Her mother hoped that the princess would be the bride of a god; she sent a swan (hamsa) to Lord Indra, inviting him to seek Damayanti’s hand in marriage.
Destiny had other plans. The swan got swept up in a storm and sought refuge in Nishada, the kingdom of Nala, a skilled charioteer and capable ruler. Impressed by how King Nala cared for it, the swan flew back to Damayanti instead of soaring into the clouds to meet Lord Indra. The swan sang Nala’s praises, Damayanti fell in love, and the god to whom she was promised was not pleased. 
Despite the gods’ many deceits, Damayanti chose to marry Nala and lived happily as his queen in Nishada for years. Yet, the gods did not forget. They tricked Nala into gambling away his kingdom, forcing him and Damayanti into exile in the forest. Guilt-ridden and ashamed, Nala believed that Damayanti was better off without him and abandoned her in the forest. Devastated but undeterred, Damayanti searched for Nala, convinced that they would one day be reunited. She faced every challenge with poise and, 12 years later, they met again.
Nala won back his kingdom from his younger brother Pushkara, and all the wiser from their many hardships, King Nala and Queen Damayanti ruled Nishada admirably till the end of their days. 
 
The ‘Hamsa Damayanti’ painting by Raja Ravi Varma.
The art and the artist
Raja Ravi Varma is one of the most recognised Indian painters, and his works continue to resonate today. Born in Travancore (now in Kerala) in 1848, Varma was closely related to the royal family. Royal patronage gave him the opportunity to study both Indian and European art; this resulted in his distinct blend of Indian subjects and symbolism with European Academic art.
His muses included Indian life and mythology, and the oil painting ‘Hamsa Damayanti’ is a classic representation of his skill and style. It’s said that Varma tried many compositions, some featuring both Nala and Damayanti, before settling on the image we know today.
The painting shows Damayanti by the palace pond, enthralled by the stories of Nala being narrated by the swan. Her posture is refined yet relaxed, and her features are softened by her growing affection for Nala. Ravi Varma was famous for the expressiveness of his subjects’ eyes, and Damayanti’s have an inexplicable depth. Her silk saree glistens with gold zari, and the colours of each element in the painting create a sense of equilibrium.
The Academic school of European art balanced reality and romanticism, so that subjects depicted in paintings appeared perfect and idealised. Its influence is tangible in the painting ‘Hamsa Damayanti’, while the subject itself is drawn from the bedrock of India’s culture. It remains one of Varma’s finest achievements as an artist; on his 65th death anniversary, India Post commemorated the occasion with a postal stamp featuring this very painting.