Bharata Meets King Guha on the Bank of River Ganga

It is a Jaipuri painting, which depicts Bharata and Shatrughna reach Ayodhya from their maternal uncle's home and come to know that king Dasharatha was dead and also the cause of his death and also about Rama's exile to the forest for fourteen years. Vashishtha asks Bharata to give up grief and perform his father's funeral rites with full royal honour. After the funeral rites were over the royal priest, sage Vashishtha and the counsellors assemble and offer the throne of Ayodhya to Bharata. Sage Vashishtha says that king Dasharatha himself during his lifetime conferred the kingdom on him and he should not hesitate to accept it. Bharata declines and says that it is in the tradition of the Ishavaku family that the eldest son alone deserves the throne. He rather decides to go in search of Rama and bring him back. Accompanied by Shatrughna, his mothers and also priests, ministers and councillors, he set out on the mission. First, they come to Shringverpur, the territory of the king Nishadaraj Guha who at first thinks that Bharata has come to attack Rama in order to become the sole heir to the throne. But his advance spies inform him that it is not so. He has come in search of Rama to take him back to Ayodhya. Guha then welcomes Bharata with the warmest hospitality. The painting shows the royal tent of Bharata, and the three scenes are depicted in that. In the first scene, Nishadaraj Guha welcomes Bharata and they embrace each other. In the second scene, Bharata and Shatrughana with other courtiers are seated under the royal tent. Nishadaraj is seated before them. He casually inquires about his real intentions towards his elder brothers. Bharata asserts his sincerity and also his wish to bring back Rama. Guha is overjoyed and puts full confidence in him. It seems from the painting that Bharata and Shatrughna are deeply engrossed in conversation with Nishadaraj. As Bharat asked Guha to tell him where Rama, Sita and Lakshmana spent the night and what they ate. Guha sympathetically relates everything as to how Rama declined all comforts. He and Sita slept, but Lakshmana guarding them was waking the whole night. At the left, there is a white canopied tent where Kaushalya, Kekeyi and Sumitra are seated in white dresses. In front are the wives of Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughana in colourful dresses. In the third scene, Bharata and Shatrughna are leaving the tent and Guha is showing the way. The courtiers are standing behind them. Outside the royal tent, large numbers of people are waiting and are enjoying the lavish hospitality given by Nishadaraj. Some musicians are also seen in their enclosure playing the musical instruments. Nearby there is a river and boats are ready to take Bharata and his army so that they may cross Ganga. The artist has shown Guha as hospitable, sympathetic and devoted towards Dasharatha family.