Yama is the Hindu God of Death. He rules over hell (naraka) where he judges the souls of the dead and punishes sinners. He is also the guardian of the direction (dikpala) of the South. Here, the crowned Yama sits in a pavilion in his Kalichi Palace presiding over hell. His right hand is held in the symbolic gesture of ‘gift-giving’ (varada mudra). Beside him is his primary attribute, his staff (yama-danda), representative of Yama’s chastisement. In front of him is a scribe who reads aloud each sinner’s deeds and misdeeds before judgment is rendered. Depending upon their actions, souls are consigned to hell, sent back to be reborn on earth, or admitted to Pitriloka, the nether-world realm of the ancestors. In the compound surrounding Yama’s palace are numerous scenes of sinners being tormented or tortured by Yama’s demonic servants. Outside of the compound are subterranean waters with more afflicted souls and bovines. This folio has been attributed by B. N. Goswamy to Gursahai (active circa 1800-1830). Gursahai was the eldest son of Ranjha (active circa 1778-1827) and grandson of the celebrated artist Nainsukh of Guler (circa 1710-1778, active circa 1730-1778). The angular architecture and geometric composition typify Gursahai’s artistic style.

• El Universo de la India: Obras Maestras del Museo de Arte del Condado de Los Angeles. Santiago: Centro Cultural Palacio La Moneda, 2012.

• Proser, Adriana, editor. Comparative Hell: Arts of Asian Underworlds. New York: Asia Society, 2022.
• Pal, Pratapaditya and Catherine Glynn.  The Sensuous Line:  Indian Drawings from the Paul F. Walter Collection.  Los Angeles:  Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1976.