Raudra, from the series The Navarasa Suite 2003

"Raudra," meaning "fury" in Sanskrit, is a striking black-and-white photograph from Pushpamala N's 2003 series *The Navarasa Suite*. The photograph depicts a woman in traditional Indian garb, her face partially obscured by a veil, holding two daggers with a fierce expression. The dramatic pose and the stark contrast between light and shadow create a sense of intensity and evoke the emotion of rage, which is one of the nine basic emotions explored in the series. This series draws inspiration from the *Natyashastra*, an ancient Indian text on theatre and performance, which outlines nine fundamental emotions (Nava Rasa) that are integral to Indian art and theatre. The work explores the complexities of these emotions through visual and performative mediums.