India is a patchwork of art and craft forms. The Indian styles of paintings have unique origins and history behind them which make them even more interesting. This exhaustive list of different types of Indian paintings shows how every part of India added to its rich cultural heritage. West Bengal - Kalighat Painting Originated in the 19th century Bengal, from Kalighat. It was the time when upheaval against the British was a possible, exciting idea. These paintings, on cloth and pattas , at first depicted Gods and Goddesses, but then took a turn towards social reform. With cheap paper and paint colours, squirrel hair brushes and colour pigments, the art was characterised by flawless strokes, brushwork, and simple but bold drawings. It sought to raise awareness about social conditions in its viewers – rich zamindars were depicted drinking wine with women, while priests were shown with ‘unchaste’ women and police babus being sloppy. Andhra Pradesh - Kalamkari Kalamkari means, “pen-art”.
India is a patchwork of art and craft forms. The Indian styles of paintings have unique origins and history behind them which make them even more interesting. This exhaustive list of different types of Indian paintings shows how every part of India added to its rich cultural heritage.
West Bengal - Kalighat Painting
Originated in the 19th century Bengal, from Kalighat. It was the time when upheaval against the British was a possible, exciting idea. These paintings, on cloth and pattas, at first depicted Gods and Goddesses, but then took a turn towards social reform. With cheap paper and paint colours, squirrel hair brushes and colour pigments, the art was characterised by flawless strokes, brushwork, and simple but bold drawings. It sought to raise awareness about social conditions in its viewers – rich zamindars were depicted drinking wine with women, while priests were shown with ‘unchaste’ women and police babus being sloppy.
Andhra Pradesh - Kalamkari
Kalamkari means, “pen-art”. Kalamkari paintings are either hand painted or block printed on cotton fabric. This art form flourished under the rule of the Golconda Sultanat. It was first developed and evolved at Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh but its popularity soon spread to the other states. As far as the popular belief goes, in olden days, groups of artisans, musicians and singers known as chitrakattis would travel from village to village and narrate tales of Hindu mythology. As time passed, they even started illustrating these stories on canvas and thus Kalamkari was born.
Odisha - Pattachitra
Pattachitra folk painting hails from the state of Orissa. They originated during the 8th century and is suppose to be one of the earliest forms of indigenous art. ‘Patta’ means ‘clothing’ and ‘chitra’ stands for paintings, so pictures in this art form are painted on a cloth base. Pattachitra art is inspired by the Jagannath and Vaishnava culture. Depictions of Pattachitra art can be seen in the famous Konark Temple in Orissa.
Telangana - Cheriyal Scroll Painting
Originating in Telangana, this dying art form is practised by the Nakashi family only, where it has been passed down for many generations. The tradition of long scrolls and Kalamkari art influenced the Cheriyal scrolls, a much more stylised version of Nakashi art. Depicting puranas and epics, these 40-45 feet scrolls were an essential visual accompaniment as saints wandered around singing or narrating the epics. They resemble modern-day comic panels, with about 50 on each scroll. They use primary colours and a vivid imagination, a stark contrast from the traditional rigour of Tanjore or Mysore paintings.
Rajasthan - Phad Painting
Originating in Rajasthan, Phad is mainly a religious form of scroll painting depicting folk deities Pabuji or Devnarayan. The 30 or 15 feet-long canvas or cloth that it is painted on is called phad. Vegetable colours and a running narrative of the lives and heroic deeds of deities characterise these paintings.
Sikkim - Thangka
A thangka, variously spelt as thangka, tangka, thanka, or tanka is a Tibetan Buddhist painting on cotton, silk appliqué, usually depicting a Buddhist deity, scene, or mandala. Thangkas are traditionally kept unframed and rolled up when not on display, mounted on a textile backing somewhat in the style of Chinese scroll paintings, with a further silk cover on the front. So treated, thangkas can last a long time, but because of their delicate nature, they have to be kept in dry places where moisture will not affect the quality of the silk.
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Jammu and Kashmir - Basholi
Basholi painting is a reputed school of miniature paintings known for its vivid, evocative colors, bold lines, and deep-set facial patterns. This style of painting saw its best years in the 17-18th century. Basholi (Basoli) is a town in Kathua district in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India.
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Jharkhand - Sohrai and Khovar Painting
Sohrai art is now known as the state art of Jharkhand. Railway stations in the towns like Hazaribagh and Jamshedpur now greet travellers with Khovar and Sohrai murals that only adorned village homes until recently. Sohrai paintings are age-old tribal traditional paintings based on nature themes – forest, people and animals etc. The paintings are done by tribal women using natural ingredients such as different shades of clay and charcoal.
Kerala - Kalamezhutgu
Kalamezhuthu is an ancient art woven into the ritualistic mores of Bhagavati, Naga and Ayyappa temples in Kerala. It refers to the pictorial representation of deities on the floor (kalam) using coloured powders (kolappodi) during ceremonies.
Punjab - Mud-Work
Mud works is one of the earliest art forms of Punjab that gained popularity. Mud work in Punjab started as a result of some superstitions to keep away evil spirits. Slowly, designing of different motifs gave rise to a new art expression. Done mainly by rural women, it is practiced generally during many festivals like Navaratri, karva-Chauth, Holi and Diwali.
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