This Company painting depicts a remarkable religious practice known as 'charak-puja' ('wheel puja'). A devotee is suspended through his back muscles on a hook from a crane, which is then rotated by the efforts of those on the ground. The British called this rite 'hook-swinging'. The rite was performed on festive occasions such as the great autumn festival of Dussehra or Durga-puja in Bengal. It is undertaken as a penance for the devotee to gain religious merit.When the British started arriving in India during the 18th and 19th centuries, they were captivated by the sights and sounds of the new country. They hired Indian artists to capture and record all aspects of Indian life - the manners, customs, scenes of festivals, occupations, exotic monuments and gods to take back home. The works produced by these artists, influenced by European style and colours, are collectively known as "Company" paintings.
