An illustration to a ragamala series: Bhairava raga, India, Mughal style from a Rajput Court, possibly Orchha, circa 1610-20

This interesting painting depicts a dark-skinned central figure with moustache and crown, wearing a saffron dhoti seated on a lotus and flanked by women in Rajput dress. An inscription above indicates that this could be the musical god Narada an avatar of Vishnu however he doesn't carry his usual vina. The origin of this painting could be Tijara, a subdivision of a Mughal province north-east of Alwar indicated by an inscription to Nawab Gopiram of Tijaghar on the verso.

Stylistically the painting relates to the 'Popular Mughal' style of circa 1580-1605 and in particular to a Ramayana of 1595-1605 that is thought to have been commissioned by Raj Bir Singh Deo of Orchha. Raj Bir Singh Deo was a close friend of Prince Salim and a keen patron of the arts. This painting shows similarities to this Ramayana (see Topsfield (ed.), 2004, nos.157 & 162) in the treatment of the faces of the females, their orhnis draped over their ears and their distinctive jewelled ornamentation. Also the square-shaped head and triple crown of the central figure relate to the Ramayana's representations of Rama and Dasharatha. 

Compositionally and iconographically this painting is most likely an illustration to a ragamala and in particular that of Bhairava raga (see Ebeling 1973, p.31, C3) with the central seated figure being Shiva with Parvati alongside him rubbing sandal paste into his arm, flanked by chauri bearers.