Paintings In India

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There are two distinct strands of painting in India. One is rooted in religious traditions and nurtured by the patronage of the rich and royal, and done mostly by men. The other is rooted in everyday life and folk tradition, and done mostly by women.

To the former belong the Buddhist frescoes on the walls of the Ajanta caves in Maharashtra, the miniature paintings of the Mughal court, and the different school of Rajasthani painting. The style of Ajanta paintings is truly indigenous and was revived in the early 20th century by Nandalal Bose in Santiniketan, West Bengal.

Although Persian-inspired, Mughal and Rajasthani miniatures too are part and parcel of Indian painting of the former genre. Of the latter genre, the most famous are the Madhubani and Mithila paintings of Bihar, the Worli paintings of Maharashtra, the Mandana paintings of Rajasthan, which are basically wall and floor paintings.

Painting done not for art’s sake but as a daily religious ritual include geometric and floral patterns on the floor by the womenfolk called kolam in the south of India, rangoli in Maharashtra, alpona in Bengal, aripana in Bihar and so on. Painting on cloth is exemplified by Kalamkari work of Kalahasti and Masulipatnamin Andhra Pradesh, and phad painting of Rajasthan. Quite unique is Tanjavur paintings embellished with gold leaf and semi-precious stones, which were originally commissioned by Maratha kings of the 18th century.