Pahari School of Painting: Evolution of Indian Art from Basohli to Kangra

• Pahari School of Painting
  • Pahari denotes ‘hilly or mountainous’ in origin.

    

  • Includes towns such as Basohli, Guler, Kangra, Kullu, Chamba, Mankot, Nurpur, Mandi, Bilaspur, Jammu, and others in the hills of western Himalayas.
  • Emerged as centers of painting from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century.
  • Transitioned from the flamboyant Basohli style to the refined Kangra School through the Guler or pre-Kangra phase.
• Stylistic Challenges
  • Pahari paintings do not have the distinct features of Mughal, Deccani, or Rajasthani Schools.
  • Challenges exist in territorial classification due to fluid political boundaries and lack of dated material, colophons, and inscriptions.
• Emergence and Influences
  • The origins of the Pahari School remain unclear, but Mughal and Rajasthani styles likely influenced it.

    

  • The bold Basohli-like style is considered the earliest pictorial language.
  • Hill Rajas’ familial ties with Rajasthan courts and Provincial Mughal style examples contributed to its development.
• B. N. Goswamy's Contribution
  • Attributed the evolution of Pahari paintings to the family of Pandit Seu (Shiv).
  • Suggested the family-based approach to style rather than regional attribution to address fluid political boundaries.
  • Argued that early eighteenth-century works followed the Basohli idiom, while mid-eighteenth-century works transitioned to the Kangra style.
• Transformation and Influences
  • Mid-eighteenth-century transformations led to varied stylistic idioms across different Pahari centers.
  • Responses to Mughal paintings introduced in Pahari kingdoms influenced local artists.
  • Naturalism in Mughal paintings appealed to Pahari artists and profoundly influenced their compositions.
• Themes and Innovations
  • Themes included daily routines, important royal occasions, and creation of new prototypes for female forms and idealized faces.
  • Some paintings featured decorated margins and detailed compositions, maturing into the Kangra phase.

Introduction to Basohli School

• Introduction to Basohli School
  • Basohli represents the first and most dramatic example of work from the hill states.

    

  • From 1678 to 1695, Kirpal Pal, an enlightened prince, ruled the state and fostered a distinctive style.
  • Key characteristics include:
    • Strong use of primary colors and warm yellows for backgrounds and horizons.
    • Stylized treatment of vegetation and use of raised white paint to represent pearls in ornaments.
    • Unique use of shiny green beetle wing particles to depict jewelry, simulating emeralds.
• Artistic Themes and Influences
  • Popular themes:
    • Rasamanjari of Bhanu Datta was a favorite theme for Basohli painters.
    • Other themes included Bhagvata Purana and Ragamala.
    • Portraits of local kings, consorts, courtiers, astrologers, mendicants, and courtesans were also common.

      

  • Influences:
    • The aesthetics of Basohli share similarities with the Chaurpanchashika group of Western Indian paintings.
    • Spread to other hill states, such as Chamba and Kullu, leading to local variations of the Basohli kalam.
• Transition to Guler–Kangra Phase
  • A new style emerged between the 1690s and 1730s, referred to as the Guler–Kangra phase.
  • Artists experimented and improvised, ultimately shaping the Kangra style.
  • The style spread to hill states like Mankot, Nurpur, Kullu, Mandi, Bilaspur, Chamba, Guler, and Kangra.
• Famous Texts and Depictions
  • Key depictions:
    • The Sanskrit epic Ramayana was a favored text, especially in Basohli and Kullu.
    • Paintings captured significant moments such as Rama giving away possessions during exile.

      

  • Artistic features:
    • Careful representation of characters like Brahmins, courtiers, and commoners.
    • Artistic details like transparency of garments, tilak marks, jewelry, and weapons.
    • Animals like wolves and tigers portrayed to symbolize the dangers of the forest and the courage of princes.

Guler School of Painting

• Guler School: A Transition in Pahari Painting
  • The first quarter of the 18th century marked a significant transformation in the Basohli style, leading to the emergence of the Guler–Kangra phase.
  • This phase originated in Guler, under Raja Govardhan Chand (1744–1773), a prominent patron of the arts.

    

  • Guler artist Pandit Seu, along with his sons Manak (Manaku) and Nainsukh, spearheaded the evolution of painting around 1730–40, creating a refined and elegant style known as the Guler–Kangra kalam.
• Distinctive Features of Guler Style
  • The style is characterized by:
    • Subdued and elegant compositions compared to the bold vitality of the Basohli style.
    • Delicate pastel shades with daring use of white and grey expanses.
  • While retaining elements of Basohli, such as the lavish use of beetle wing casings, Guler paintings displayed greater refinement and naturalism.
• Key Artists and Contributions
  • Manak:
    • Renowned for his work on the Gita Govinda set (1730), blending Basohli and Guler elements.

      

    • Created numerous portraits of his patron Raja Govardhan Chand and his family.
  • Nainsukh:
    • Moved to Jasrota and became the court painter for Raja Balwant Singh, capturing his patron in diverse activities such as performing puja and surveying sites.
    • Excelled in individual portraiture, a hallmark of the later Pahari style.
  • Sons and grandsons of Manak and Nainsukh, including Khushala, Fattu, and Gaudhu, contributed significantly to the flourishing of Pahari art under Prakash Chand, successor to Govardhan Chand.
• Legacy and Influence
  • The mature Guler style reached Kangra in the 1780s, evolving into the renowned Kangra School.
  • The offshoots of Basohli continued in regions like Chamba and Kullu.
  • Guler’s long tradition of painting is evidenced by works from the reign of Dalip Singh (1695–1743) and his son Bishan Singh, predating the Guler–Kangra phase.

Kangra School of Painting

• Kangra School of Painting
  • Patronage of Raja Sansar Chand
    • The Kangra style flourished under Raja Sansar Chand (1775–1823), a notable patron of art.
    • Raja Sansar Chand ascended the throne at 10, succeeding his grandfather, Ghamand Chand, who restored the kingdom's glory.
    • Artists from Guler, including Manaku and his sons, served in Sansar Chand's atelier.

      

  • Historical Context
    • The Katoch dynasty ruled the Kangra region until the Mughal conquest by Jahangir in the 17th century.
    • After the decline of Mughal power, Ghamand Chand reclaimed territories and established Tira Sujanpur as his capital.
    • Monuments and an atelier of artists were maintained under Ghamand Chand's reign.
  • Centers of Kangra Painting
    • Tira Sujanpur became the hub of Kangra painting under Raja Sansar Chand's rule.
    • Other notable centers included Alampur and Nadaun, all located along the Beas River.
    • Kangra itself saw limited artistic production as it remained under Mughal and later Sikh control.
  • Characteristics of Kangra Style
    • Renowned for its poetic and lyrical quality, with a serene beauty and delicate execution.
    • Distinctive features include:
      • Delicacy of line and brilliance of color.

        

      • Minute decorative details and characteristic female facial profiles with a straight nose aligned with the forehead.
  • Popular Themes
    • Mythological and literary works like:
      • Bhagvata Purana
      • Gita Govinda
      • Nala Damayanti
      • Ragamala and Baramasa
    • Portraits of Sansar Chand and his court, depicting scenes such as:
      • Listening to music, watching dancers, and presiding over festivals.
      • Practicing tent pegging, archery, and military drills.
  • Prominent Artists
    • Notable painters of the Kangra School include Fattu, Purkhu, and Khushala.
    • Many were descendants of Nainsukh, a master artist of the Guler School.
  • Decline of the Kangra School
    • Artistic production suffered after 1805 due to the Gurkha siege of Kangra fort.
    • Although Sansar Chand maintained his atelier, works from the period after 1805 were less remarkable.

      

  • Masterpieces and Achievements
    • The Bhagvata Purana series (1785–1805) is a pinnacle of Kangra artistry.
    • Features include:
      • Effortless naturalism and vivid portrayal of dramatic scenes.
      • Rasa Panchdhyayi, which explores the gopis' devotion to Krishna, is a key theme.
  • Expansion and Influence
    • The Kangra style influenced regions like Garhwal in the east and Kashmir in the west.
    • It also led to the development of book illumination in Kashmir (1846–1885).
  • Depictions of Ashta Nayikas
    • A prominent theme in Pahari paintings, focusing on women's emotive states.
    • Examples include:
      • Utka: Anticipating her beloved's arrival.
      • Vasaksajja: Preparing a flower-decorated bed for her beloved.
      • Kalahantarita: Resisting her beloved but repenting later.
    • Abhisarika Nayika, braving obstacles to meet her beloved, is a favorite depiction.

      

  • Baramasa Paintings
    • A series of 12 folios illustrating themes of love and courtship in different months.
    • Keshav Das’s Kavipriya inspired depictions of the hot month of Jyeshtha (May–June).

Other Important Paintings

• Artists Pandit Seu and His Talented Sons
  • Pandit Seu had two exceptionally skilled sons, Manak (or Manaku) and Nainsukh, who played a vital role in transitioning the Pahari painting style from Basohli to Kangra.
  • Their work laid the foundation for the glorious Kangra period, marking a significant phase in the evolution of Pahari painting.
• Manaku's Masterpiece: Gita Govinda
  • The Gita Govinda is a set of paintings by Manaku, inspired by Jayadeva's poetic composition.
    • It narrates the love story of Radha and Krishna on the banks of the Yamuna.
    • Key themes include Krishna’s playful interaction with the gopis, Radha’s heartbreak, and the eventual mystical reunion of the divine couple.
    • Philosophically, Radha symbolizes the soul, while Krishna represents cosmic power.
  • One notable painting shows Radha approaching Krishna, feeling shy yet eager, with an inscription expressing her inner emotions.
• Nainsukh's Rare Depiction of Himself
  • A painting portrays Prince Balwant Singh of Jasrota, closely observing artwork created by Nainsukh.

    

    • Nainsukh himself is depicted standing respectfully behind Balwant Singh, creating a rare self-representation.
    • The serene composition highlights Balwant Singh’s temperament with musicians subtly positioned, complementing the tranquility.
  • The scene captures a quiet moment of Balwant Singh smoking a hukka, immersed in observing Krishna’s depiction.
• Depiction of Nanda and Yashoda Moving to Vrindavan
  • This painting illustrates a scene from the Bhagvata Purana, where Nanda’s family moves to Vrindavan for safety from demons.

    

    • Nanda leads the group on a bullock cart, followed by another carrying Krishna, Balaram, Yashoda, and Rohini.
    • The naturalistic details capture expressions of fatigue, conversations, and the struggle of carrying heavy loads.
  • The Kangra painters' acute observation and realistic representation of the landscape are evident, with a flush-cut composition resembling a photograph.