MF Husain’s “Battle of Ganga and Jamuna: Mahabharata 12”, a painting from the Hindu epic, fetched 1.6 million, setting a world record at Christie’s South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art sale, amid protests against the self-exiled painter’s works outside the auction venue.

Even as the auction was going on, supporters of the Indian American Intellectual Forum and Hindu Janjagruti Samiti held a noisy demonstration outside.

They had earlier demanded withdrawal of Husain’s works from the auction, accusing him of depicting Hindu gods and goddesses in a “derogatory and vulgar” form.

Estimated at 600,000 to 800,000 dollars, “Mahabharata” painted in 1972 was sold to an anonymous bidder. It beat the earlier record held by Tyeb Mehta’s “Mahisasura”, which sold for 1.58 million dollars at Christie’s in New York in 2005.

At second slot at the auction was Ram Kumar’s figurative work from 1952, “The Vagabond”. Estimated at 400,000 to 600,000 dollars, it sold for a hefty 1.1 million dollars, setting another world record for the artist. This rare figurative work, made in 1956, portrays three isolated and forlorn figures, the mood emphasised by the dark and sombre pallet.

The third place belonged to Tyeb Mehta. His untitled work from 1981 sold for 657,000 dollars.

Fourth and never to be forgotten was Francis Newton Souza’s untitled work, which was sold for 385,000 dollars.

Of great excitement was a new name Santhosh. His work “Traces of an Ancient Error” flew from a humble estimate of 150,000 to an admirable 337,000 dollars.