12 Amazing painting styles  across India

1.Pattachitra

Seen in the stories, walls, on cards these paintings are the only ones that can replace the Idols of Gods and are regarded with the same reverence.

Origin: Lord Jagannath of Puri, Odisha

2.Pichwai

Traditionally used as religious art for temples to depict Lord Krishna’s life events as young ‘Gopala’.They were used to also narrate tales of Krishna to the illiterate.

Origin: Rajasthan

3.Madhubani

Women of Mithila who spent most of their lives within their households, used to paint elaborate murals to express their thoughts, desires and anxieties, giving birth to Madhu Bani.

Origin: Mithila region of Bihar

4.Kerala Murals

Origin: Trivandrum, Kerala

Kerala murals are usually embellished on walls or ceilings. Depicting themes and iconographic symbols from Puranas like Ramayana and Mahabharata

5.Thanjavur

They are the only paintings that have areas that are elevated from the surface with gold  and glass beads inlays or rarely precious gem ornamentations.

Origin: Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu

6.Gond

They depict the tribal life and nature around them in an expression unique to Gonds through descriptive patterns and vibrant colors.

ORIGIN: GOND TRIBE, MADHYA PRADESH

8.Warli

Created mostly by the women folk, the most important aspect of the painting is that it does not depict mythological characters or images of deities, but social life.

Origin: NORTH SAHYADRI RANGE, MAHARASHTRA

7.Mata ni pachedi

Mother Goddess being the central figure, they are used as hanging in temples, to depict the epics of ‘Mata’ as well as form temporary shrines.

Origin: GUJARATI TEXTILE

9.KANGRA MINIATURE

The subjects seen in these paintings exhibit taste and trait of lifestyles of the society of that period. Today, they are famous for their depiction of joy and happiness.

OrigIN: PAHARI PAINTINGS, HIMACHAL PRADESH

10.Thangka

Thangkas convey iconographic information in a pictorial manner and come in a wide variety of styles depicting various subjects, including Buddha, bodhisattvas and historical events.

Origin: TIBETAN BUDDHIST ART

11.Bundi

Intricate and delicate, they depict the rich themes of royal life, epic battles, vibrant festivals, and thrilling horse races, hued in handmade colors.

Origin: RAJASTHANI ART, 17TH CENTURY

12.Pithora

They depict the accomplishments of deity Pithora. These paintings are believed to bring peace and prosperity. Also considered to be an old method of cartography.

Origin: RATHWA TRIBE, CENTRAL GUJARAT

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