The Yamuna river is the second most important holy river after the Ganges in India. It passes many cities and one of the most revered ones is Mathura. The reason Mathura is so beloved is because Krishna grew up there as a young boy, Krishna is perhaps the most popular of all Hindu Gods. But as a younger man he was also a naughty teenager. And he liked to watch the Gopies ( milkmaids ) when they took a bath in the Yamuna river after work. He would take their clothes and hide them so he could watch them poodle naked in the river. They did not really mind because secretly they where all in love with the handsome Khrisna.

This story which you can find in the Bhavagad Gita and is immensely popular in India and has been painted many many times because nudity is tabu in India and this story offers the perfect excuse to paint undressed girls.

In my version the girls are still dressed, mainly because with their beautiful coloured Sari’s they offer a balance to the exuberant nature.