India has given birth to some of the most beautiful women in the world. Even in its ancient history, the tales are many, even wars had broken out between the gods to win the hand of this divinely beauties.

Today itself, this heritage of beauty continues to be personified in our Indian Miss World and Miss Universes like Aishwarya, Sushmita, Priyanka and Lara.

Here are some exquisite paintings that pay tribute to the ancient beauties. It is amazing how the conservative spirit of India wantonly abandons its inhibitions in embrace of beauty.
Perhaps these two extremes meet at the point of inspiration of kama sutra.