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The Tarakeswar scandal or the Mahant-Elokeshi affair refers to a public scandal in 19th-century Calcutta. It resulted from an illicit love affair between Elokeshi, the wife of a government clerk Nobin Chandra, and the Brahmin head priest (or mahant) of the Tarakeswar Shiva temple. Nobin subsequently decapitated his wife Elokeshi because of the love affair. A highly publicised trial followed. The scandal became the subject of Kalighat paintings and several popular Bengali plays. By Unknown artist of the Kalighat Style, Calcutta, 19th century [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. Nabin, stands poised to behead his wife Elokeshi with a fish knife. Elokeshi kneels before her husband with her face turned away and hand raised to ward off the blow. The black `holdall` used by the painters to illustrate one of Nabin`s westernised accessories lies on the ground in front of Elokeshi whilst the umbrella, a further western attribute, hangs limply from his left hand
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Date
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circa 1890
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Location
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Kalighat, Kolkata, West Bengal
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Source
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http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O71451/painting-the-fatal-blow/
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Copyright
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Public domain
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Subject
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Folk Paintings, 19th century Kalighat paintings, Patachitra
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Ref Url
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http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ANabin_kills_Elokeshi.jpg
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