THE CHURNING OF THE OCEAN OF MILK (SAMUDRA MANTHANA) Pahari school, North India, late 18th - 19th century  Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, an illustration of Vishnu avatara series from the Bhagavata and Vishnu Purana, the god Vishnu seated cross-legged on mount Mandara supported by his avatar Kurma, the tortoise, churning the Ocean of Milk with the help of Shiva and Brahma on the left hand-side and two Asuras (demons) on the right hand-side, at the top Airavata, Indra's elephant, and the divine seven-headed horse Uchhaishravas, at the bottom, Kamadhenu, Brahma's wish-granting cow, within gold and red rules, mounted, framed and glazed, 44.5cm x 36.5cm including the frame.