Garhwal

Etymology: This painting style received its name from the area in which it was most popular, the Garhwal district of the Himalayan region in Uttaranchal. It was earlier a part of Uttar Pradesh and later the new state changed its name to Uttarakhand, meaning 'northern region', the traditional name of the area.

Origin: Garhwal miniatures originated during the late 17th century with influences from Mughal and Rajput paintings style.

Location: This art form was widely in practice in the regions of Garhwal in Uttaranchal (now Uttarakhand) located in the Himalayas.

Community: The artists who migrated as refugees settled under the hill rulers and created their style of painting in Garhwal.

Relevance: 'Ananda Coomaraswamy', a late 19th-century historian and philosopher, considered that the Garhwal school carried on the Ajanta tradition when it came to portraying feminine elegance and beauty. There is less focus on the depiction of vegetation in the Garhwal painting as compared to the Kangra and Basohli miniatures.

Historical background: There are other forms of Pahari paintings, this one was relatively lesser known, even though it has its roots in the region since as early as 1658. After the publication of Mukandi Lal's book Garhwal Painting, this art form gained recognition. For 200 years, this style of painting flourished, especially during Mola Ram's lifetime (1743-1833).

Culture and societies: It is said that along with refugee Mughal prince Suleman Shikoh, the pioneers of the Garhwal school, Sham Das and Har Das, travelled to the region in the year 1658, during the reign of Aurangzeb. These artists belonged to Shahjahan's Mughal painting school. They were detained by the Raja of Garhwal at his court in Srinagar after Suleman Shikoh surrendered to Aurangzeb. These artists were successful in developing their style in this painting approach that stands out from other Pahari paintings.

Religious significance: There was no specific religious reason as the artists created various paintings on religious themes like Krishna - Radha, Rukmini mangal, etc.

Legends or myths: It was also very likely that the two sisters of Raja Anirudh of Kangra (son of Sansar Chand), who were married to Sudarshan Shah, the Raja of Garhwal, had a role. The Kangra princesses gave paintings as dowry from Raja Sansar Chand of Kangra's collection. As a result, many artists from Kangra moved to Garhwal and their techniques had a great influence on the Garhwal school of painting.

Central motifs and their significance: The artwork also features the themes of Indian mythology like Radha and Krishna, etc., and depiction of scenic hills and mountains, beautiful ornamentation, and a chandan tikka (sandalwood mark) on the forehead. Also, the paintings highlight the poems written along with them.

Medium used: Before being used, natural colours are obtained from materials such as vegetables, minerals, or other elements that are thoroughly prepared and mixed with the natural glue or gond or khadiya. The sea shells are used as colour palettes. As usual animal hair is used as a brush to fill and outline the colours.

Style: Garhwal painting has a blend of Mughal, Rajput and other Pahari painting styles. This style is characterised by the calm romanticised portrayal of the slim and charming nayikas (heroines).

Process: The process of making the base is prepared using handmade papers and once it dries, it is burnished using a polished stone to give a smooth surface. And then the subjects are sketched and the application of colours is done differently as per the miniature style. Lastly, the outlines are completed to give a finished look.

Many rich collections of Garhwal paintings are placed in various museums in India and abroad. One among them is the University Museum in Srinagar, which features a large collection of Garhwal paintings along with sculptures and artefacts discovered during archaeological excavations.

1. Lal, M. (1968) Garhwal Chitrakala - Garhwal Painting. New Delhi: Publications Division Of Ministry Of Information And Broadcasting.