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Paintings
The whole Indian culture can easily be said to be
reflected in the paintings which has its roots in religious institutions
and in the royal monuments of the great empires. The temple paintings
of the south derived an early inspiration from the exquisite Buddhist
frescoes of the Ajanta caves. The golden era of the Indian paintings
can be seen from the the Mughal rule, the known patrons of art,who
helped to develop the thriving court tradition of miniature paintings
in the north. The paintings of this period reflected the style of
persian art.
The most expressive form of folk arts are the colourful
floor designs, known by different names in various regions, 'kolam'
in South India, 'rangoli' in Gujarat and Maharashtra, 'osa' in Orissa,
'aripana' in Bihar, 'mandana' in Rajasthan and 'alpana' in West
Bengal and Assam. They are designed at the doorway to the home by
the women folk, both as a means of decoration and as a symbol of
good omen. Rice paste, wheat flour, earth and vegetable dyes are
used for the variety of colours and its designs are symbolic with
geometric or floral patterns like squares, circles, triangles, lotus,
fish, footprints (supposed to be of goddess Lakshmi), leaves, trees,
animals, etc. The 'kolams' designed during 'Pongal' - the harvest
festival, are especially delightful to behold. \
Wall paintings are another powerful form of art.
These have deeper, narrative themes unlike the symbolic themes of
floor coverings.While in some regions the wall paintings are made
to mark festive occasions and family rituals, as in Punjab and Kumaon,
in most of the regions they are an artistic vehicle for the tales
from the religious epics, folklore and local history as seen in
the temples, palaces and mansions of states such as Kerala, Karnataka,
Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Maharashtra, Gujarat. Especially
popular is Rajasthan for its wealth of the most prolific and exciting
murals of the Rajput period..
Among the notable tribal wall paintings are the
rhythmically executed Warli paintings of Maharashtra - the white
line paintings that encapsulate the folk traditions of the Warlis
; and the Madhubani paintings of Bihar - the expessive paintings
with themes ranging from Ramayana scenes to deities to every day
life . \
The delectable style of
painting on wood, has become a speciality of Thanjavur (Karnataka).
These bright paintings are embellished with gold leaves, semi-precious
stones & gilted metal pieces and portray images of Lord Krishna
in white interspersed with colour. Another lovely modification of
these wooden masterpieces are the glass paintings of Thanjavur,
a technique originally imported from Europe.
Cloth is another extraordinary canvas for the paintings
of India. At the major religious centres, painters produce pictures
of local deities on a piece of cloth. Most famous is 'pichhwai'
- a large painting on cloth, depicting Srinathji, or Lord Krishna
in various costumes, a speciality of Nathdwara (Rajasthan). Equally
attractive are 'Phads' - the cloth paintings of Rajasthan and Uttar
Pradesh. portraying folk tales and legends.
The tradition of painting living spaces continued
well into the 20th century till it was finally overtaken
by the Western practice of painting walls a boring old pastel. Art
slowly began to jump off the walls and on to palm leaves, wood blocks,
cloth and ivory. As you read up more about painting in India, you’ll
find that it was entirely dependent on religious and royal patronage.
This is perhaps why ‘art’ became a big thing only during the reign
of the Mughals. The Delhi Sultanate was too philistine to understand
anything but the language of the sword. They probably thought heads
impaled on spears were the best exhibit money could buy.
Be that as it may, here’s a crash course in the kinds of paintings
you are likely to encounter in India.
Alpana (Bengal), kolam
(South India), rangoli (Maharashtra),
osa (Orissa), aripana
(Bihar), sona rakhna (Uttar Pradesh), sathiya (Gujarat) are
all names for auspicious, multi-coloured floor decorations made
by Hindus all over the country. Usually drawn at the doorway of
a home, they can be geometric or floral and are done afresh every
morning.
Kalamkari:- As the name suggests it
is the technique of painting cloth with a pointed bamboo kalam or
pen, Kalamkari is almost an industry in Andhra Pradesh. Black outlines
of the pattern are painted onto the cloth which is then given other
colours like yellow, blue and green. Motifs may range from traditional
(Hindu deities, the sun, flowers) to present-day (Biblical, even
corporate logos). However, most of the Kalamkari work one sees today
is a mix of printed and pen work and is generally aimed at the home
furnishing market.
Mandana:- Auspicious wall paintings
of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, mandanas are meant to protect the
home and hearth as well as to welcome gods into the house. Mud and
cowdung are usually plastered on the walls which are then painted
white. The women of the house paint symbols like the swastika, the
sun or the tree of life in black and red.
Madhubani:- Traditionally painted on
walls and floors by the women of Bihar to invoke divine protection,
the humble Madhubani has come a long way. Scenes from Hindu epics,
fertility symbols, auspicious birds and beasts are daubed on walls
with the paste of newly harvested rice. In recent times, however,
Madhubani artists have been selling their work commercially by putting
paper, pen and colours to good use. Full of intense energy and bright
colours, they are extremely popular with foreign tourists.
Mughal & Rajput Miniatures:- Fierce
camel fights; bejewelled women; the blood and gore of a tiger hunt;
the amorous dalliances of Rajput princes and the pomp and ceremony
of the Mughal court – miniatures unabashedly celebrate every aspect
of life. Most of them use natural colours derived from insects,
shells, minerals, vegetable matter as well as silver and gold leaf.
Using the finest squirrel hairbrushes, it takes a miniaturist weeks
to complete a commission. The artist’s lack of originality – most
of them merely replicate the work of their forefathers – is more
than compensated for by their breathtakingly precise and detailed
workmanship. Jaipur, Udaipur, Bikaner in Rajasthan; Chamba and Kangra
in Himachal Pradesh; and Delhi are some of the most happening centres
of miniature art.
Phad:- A phad is a long rectangular
cloth painting that tells of the adventures and travails of some
local or epic hero. They have been used for centuries as a backdrop
by bhopas or the bards of Rajasthan who go from village to village
singing about the exploits of legendary heroes. Usually about five
metres by one and a half metres in size, the phad is painted in
bold colours and is rolled on two shafts of bamboo, thus making
it easy to carry.
Pichai:- The pichvai (literally, ‘something
at the back’) unfolds scenes from the life of the Hindu deity Lord
Krishna and is used as a backdrop for his idol at the Nathdwara
Temple, near Udaipur, Rajasthan. Like many other forms of painting,
the pichai too has made its transition from the religious to the
secular – they make colourful decorative hangings in urban homes.
Thanjavur Paintings:- Highly ornate
paintings from down South (Thanjavur and Tiruchirapalli in Tamil
Nadu), Thanjavur paintings flourished under the reign of the Maratha
kings. They usually depict the plump and mischievous baby Balkrishna
and rely on intricate gesso (plaster of Paris mixed with glue applied
to a surface and then painted or gilded), gold leaf and jewel work
on wood to catch the buyer’s eye.
Warli Paintings:- These are the tribal
paintings of Maharashtra and are traditionally done in the homes
of the Warlis. Painted white on mud walls, they are pretty close
to prehistoric cave paintings in execution and usually depict sowing
and harvesting scenes. Originally made with rice paste, they were
turned into a marketable commodity when the India Handicrafts and
Handlooms Board provided the poor Warlis with brown paper and white
paint.
Special Shopping Destinations:
Thanjavaur (Karnataka), Madhubani (Bihar),Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh
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