Unit – I (B) Pahari School of Miniature Painting / Introduction & Origin and Development of Pahari School
Introduction
The Pahari region comprises the present State of Himachal Pradesh, some adjoining areas of the Punjab, the area of Jammu in the Jammu and Kashmir State and Garhwal in Uttar Pradesh. The whole of this area was divided into small States ruled by the Rajput princes and were often engaged in welfare. These States were centers of great artistic activity from the latter half of the 17th to nearly the middle of the 19th century.The miniature paintings of erstwhile states of Punjab hills are known as Pahari painting.The word Pahari means hilly in local dialect. These paintings began under Mughal influence during the reign of Aurangzeb. They also bear the impact of the paintings of Nepal, Kashmir, and Rajasthan etc.
The Pahari School of Miniature Paintings consists of the works of a large number of talented artists who contributed to develop this unique style of painting. It was the outcome of family tradition and the centuries of hard work.
Most of the paintings were destroyed in natural calamities, wars, fire etc. The leftover are not very enlightening, though a few contain the name of their creators. But the rest could be guessed by the art historians on the basis of style and nature of work.The Pahari paintings have different schools or styles, because they had several patrons like the rulers of Basohli, Guler, Kangra, Chamba, Tehri - Garhwal, Nurpur, Mankot,Mandi, Kullu, Bilaspur…etc…
Origin and Development of Pahari Schools
Himanchal, Punjab, Gharwal hill areas come under Pahari school.
Guler is the place of origin of Pahari Miniatures, later on Kangra and other places of hill areas joined to develop the style which was completely different from other schools. Actually the style started from 1760 onwards at Guler.
The natural beauty and pleasant weather of this area added further charm to the Pahari art. By 1780 Guler school was at its peak. From this school some artists went to Kangra and started their work there. Their style changed day by day and afterwards it was known as Kangra style.
Basohli is situated in the state of Jammu & Kashmir. Their style of art was sold by the name of Tibetan art. Gradually it has changed and the style was known as Basohli paintings. Some artists came to Chamba and started their work with new touch which, later on, was known as Chamba paintings.
Slowly paintings style spreaded to others parts of the hill areas and finally it has been proved its identity as Pahari School.
Mandi, Kullu and Garhwal areas also developed simultaneously and identified themselves under Pahari style of Paintings.
Gurkhas and their rule developed this Pahari School of art. Jammu & Kashmir also proved that their way of painting is having a new style which is different from others.In this way, Pahari paintings developed for which other school of art feels proud for them.
Please click on below link to download CBSE Class 12 Painting Introduction Worksheet
