File:SAHASRAKHSYA AHALYA.jpg

English: Ahalya is the eternal woman who responds to her inner urges and the advances of the divine ruler ( Devraj Indra)- a direct contrast to her ascetic husband (Rishi Gautama), who did not satisfy her carnal desires. She as an independent woman, makes her own decisions, takes risks and is driven by curiosity to experiment with the extraordinary and then accept the curse imposed on her by a patriarchal society. It is this undaunted acceptance of the curse that makes The Ramayana praise and venerate her.

Ahalya is often described as an ayonijasambhava, one not born of a woman. Brahma crafted her out of pure creativity from water and named her Ahalya meaning "one without the reprehension of ugliness”. Rishi Gautama took care of her until she reaches puberty and returned Ahalya to Brahma. Pleased with Gautama's sexual restraint and asceticism, Brahma bestowed her upon him as his wife. Indra (devaraja) became enamoured by Ahalya's beauty, decided to attain the woman of his heart by subterfuge. Indra convinced the Moon to take the form of a rooster and wake up Gautama much before dawn. He took the advantage of Rishi’s absence and approached Ahalya in guise of Gautama to make love to him. Ahalya with her spiritual power recognised the impersonator but enjoyed dalliance with him out of curiosity. In the meantime, the sage returned, realised all that had transpired. Outraged, he cursed Indra to be covered with thousand of female genitals, Ahalya to become a stone and Moon to carry the kalanka (black spots). Centuries later, Ahalya was redeemed by touch of Rama and the marks of vaginas over Indra’s body were transformed into eyes by grace of Shiva, making him ‘Thousand-eyed-lord’. Medium : watercolor, acrylic paint, sakura white gelly pen, luxor's sketch pen Time taken: 20 hrs Form: pattachitra

Information source: Wikipedia