UNIT : 1 – The Pahari Schools of Painting

Pahari denotes ‘hilly or mountainous’ in origin. Pahari Schools of Painting includes towns, such as Basohli, Guler, Kangra, Kullu, Chamba, Mankot, Nurpur, Mandi, Bilaspur, Jammu and others in the hills of western Himalayas, which emerged as centres of painting from 17th to 19th century. Beginning at Basohli with a coarsely flamboyant style, it blossomed into the most exquisite and sophisticated style of Indian painting known as the Kangra School, through the Guler or pre-Kangra phase.

Table of Contents

Origin And Development

Pahari denotes ‘hilly or mountainous’ in origin. Pahari Schools of Painting includes towns, such as Basohli, Guler, Kangra, Kullu, Chamba, Mankot, Nurpur, Mandi, Bilaspur, Jammuand others in the Hills Of Western Himalayas, which emerged as centres of painting from 17th – 19th century.
The flamboyantly bold Basohli style is understood to be the earliest prevailing pictorial language.
B. N. Goswamy, one of the most significant scholars of the Pahari Schools of Painting. For Goswamy, it was the naturalism in these paintings that appealed to the sensibilities of Pahari artists.
Middle of the 18th century, the style transformed through a pre-Kangra phase, maturing into the Kangra style.
Compositions, show some paintings with decorated margins. Themes that included recording the daily routine or important occasions from the lives of kings, creation of new prototype for female form and an idealised face, are all associated with this newly emerging style that gradually matures to the Kangra phase.

CBSE Class 12 Fine Arts Syllabus 2024-2025 PDF

Sub – School Of Pahari Miniature Painting

1. Basohli School

The first and most dramatic example of work from the hill states is from Basohli. Under Kirpal Pal – Basohli developed a distinctive and magnificent style.
The most popular theme of Basohli painters was the Rasamanjari of Bhanu Datta. Bhagvata Purana and Ragamala were other popular themes.
Artist ateliers from Basohli, gradually, spread to other hill states, such as Chamba and Kullu, giving rise to local variations of the Basohli kalam. A new style of painting came in vogue during 1690s to 1730s, which was referred to as the Guler–Kangra phase.
The Sanskrit epic, Ramayana, was one of the favourite texts of the hill artists at Basohli, as well as, Kullu.

2. Guler School

This phase first appeared in Guler, a high-ranking branch of the Kangra royal family, under the patronage of Raja Govardhan Chand.
Guler artist Pandit Seu with his sons Manak(Manku) and Nainsukh are attributed with changing the course of painting around 1730–40 to a new style, referred to as the pre– Kangra or Guler–Kangra kalam.
Guler appears to have a long tradition of paintings amongst all Pahari schools. Manak’s most outstanding work is a set of Gita Govinda painted in 1730 at Guler, retaining some of the elements of the Basohli style, most strikingly the lavish use of beetle’s wing casings. Manaku, did numerous portraits of his enthusiastic patron Raja Govardhan Chand and his family.
Nainsukh’s celebrated pictures of Balwant Singh are unique in the kind of visual record they offer of the patron’s life. Nainsukh’s genius was for individual portraiture that became a salient feature of the later Pahari style.

3. Kangra School

Painting in the Kangra region blossomed under the patronage of a remarkable ruler, Raja Sansar Chand.
Tira Sujanpur emerged as the most prolific centre of painting under his patronage.
An earlier phase of Kangra kalam paintings is witnessed in Alampur and the most matured paintings were painted at Nadaun, where Sansar Chand shifted later in his life. All these centres were on the banks of river Beas.
The Kangra style is by far the most poetic and lyrical of Indian styles marked with serene beauty and delicacy of execution.
Characteristic features of the Kangra style are delicacy of line, brilliance of colour and minuteness of decorative details.
Most popular themes that were painted were the Bhagvata Purana, Gita Govinda, Nala Damayanti, Bihari Satsai, Ragamala And Baramasa.
Fattu, Purkhu and Khushala are important painters of the Kangra style.
This series of Bhagvata Purana paintings is one of the greatest achievements of Kangra artists.
Depiction Of Ashta Nayikas or Eight Heroines Is one of the most painted themes in pahari paintings, involving the depiction of women in various dispositions and emotive states.
The Baramasa paintings, consisting of 12 folios, illustrating the modes of love or courtship appropriate to each month of the year had become a popular theme in the hills during the 19th century. An account of Baramasa is given by Keshav Das in the tenth chapter of Kavipriya. He, thus, describes the hot month of Jyeshtha, which falls in the months of May and June.

4. Kullu

Kullu emerged with a distinctive style, where figures had a prominent chin and wide open eyes, and lavish use of grey and terracotta red colours in the background was made.
Shangri Ramayana is a well-known set painted in the Kullu Valley in the last quarter of the 17th century.

5. Mandi

Rulers of Mandi were ardent worshippers of Vishnu and Shiva . Hence, apart from the Krishna Lila themes, Shaivite subjects were also painted.

6. Garhwal

An artist named Molaram is associated with the Garhwal School. Several signed paintings by him have been discovered. This school was influenced by the Kangra style of Sansar Chand phase.

CBSE Class 12 Fine Art NCERT Textbook

Subject Matter

The depiction of natural beauty and pleasant weather of this area, beauty of female figure, romantic and religious themes are the main subject matter of Pahari miniature painting.
The poetry of Surdas, Tulsidas, Keshav, Motiram and Bihari have been beautifully painted in Pahari miniature.
Beside we find the famous Ragamala paintings, Geet Govind of Jaidev, Nayak-Nayika bhed was a source of inspiration to the artist.
All these romantic paintings are also related with religion. The hero in these paintings is Krishna and the heroine is Radha.

The Main Features Of Pahari Miniature Painting : –

The depiction of natural beauty and pleasant weather is an important feature of Pahari miniature.
The beauty of female figure is depicted gracefully in these paintings.
- The female figure representing an ideal of beauty with rhythmic curved line and innocent sensibility.
- Female figure have high forehead, oval shaped face, sharpen nose, lotus petal like large eyes.
- The women wear tight half sleeve choli, long lehenga and head is covered with transparent chunri.
The men wear tight paijama and short kurta with headgear.
Clarity of designs and lines, intensity of feelings which is achieved by the the use of golden and bright colours.
Wonderful effect in paintings is created by the mixture of blue and yellow, red and blue, grey and brown colours, which enrich the beauty of the painting.
Both religious and romantic paintings drawn beautifully in Pahari miniature painting.
Almost all the paintings are based on Hindu religion.

Read Class 12 Finearts Notes for your Board Exam – Read Now!

Paintings In Pahari School Of Miniature Painting

S. No	Topic	Link
1	The Rajasthani Schools of Painting	Click Here
2	The Pahari Schools of Painting	Click Here
3	The Mughal School of Miniature Painting	Click Here
4	The Deccan Schools of Painting	Click Here
5	The Bengal School of Painting	Click Here
6	The Modern Trends in Indian Art	Click Here

KRISHNA WITH GOPIS

Artist– Manku
School– Pahari school
Sub school– Basohli
Medium– Watercolour on paper
Technique– Tempera
Subject Matter– This painting is a folio of Geet-Govind where Krishna is with eight Gopis.

Description-
In this painting blue limed Krishna has been shown singing and dancing with Gopis on the bank of river Yamuna. There are eight gopis surrounded Krishna in different posture. The eyes of Krishna and Gopis are like lotus petal stretching almost up to the ear. Gopis are well decorated with multi coloured transparent dress. The faces of the Gopis are looks like similar showing emotion of happiness through smiling and charming.

There is a high horizon in this painting, only a sky of about one inch width has been painted at the top. The trees have been painted in a decorated and symbolic manner. The female figures are ornamented and full of expression. Krishna is wearing a yellow colour dhoti and a long garland on his neck. There is a red border surrounded the entire painting.

Collection- National Museum, New Delhi

NAND,YASHODA AND KRISHNA WITH KINSMEN GOING TO VRINDAVAN

Artist – Nainsukh
School – Pahari school
Sub school – Kangra
Medium– Watercolour on paper
Technique – Tempera
Subject Matter – The painting illustrates a scene from the Bhagvata Purana and depicts Nanda with his family and relatives, travelling to Vrindavan. They found Gokul infested with demons that bothered Krishna to no end, and hence, decided to move to a safer place.

Description-
This painting is an episode from Bhagwat Puran. Nanda is seen leading the group on his bullock cart and is followed by another bullock cart, wherein, both brothers, Krishna and Balaram and their respective mothers, Yashoda and Rohini, are seated. This is a naturalistic style of painting composed with lots of human figure along with cattles. Figures are smaller in size. Drawing have linear in quality. The overall scene is more crowded. The Nand raja at the front on a bullock cart and Krishna with Yashoda at the back on another bullock cart going to Vrindavan is composed beautifully with other attendant figures.

Nanda is seen leading the group on his bullock cart and is followed by another bullock cart, wherein, both brothers, Krishna and Balaram and their respective mothers, Yashoda and Rohini, are seated. The influence of Mughal style effect can clearly visible in this painting, featuring through the delicate lines, Precious drawings and bright colours. The use of rich and cool blue and green colour is enriched the whole painting. The cows, bullocks and some of the attendant figures are rendered with the influence of early Kangra style.

Collection- National Museum, New Delhi

12th Pahari Miniature by sandy Boi

Keywords: The Pahari Schools of Painting, CBSE, CBSE Class 12 notes, CBSE Class 12 Finearts Notes, class 12 painting notes, fine arts class 12 notes,

#CBSEClass12 #FineArtsNotes #RajasthaniPainting #PahariPainting #BoardExamPreparation #ArtHistory #StudyMaterial

Share your Friends