Traditional Phad Paintings Depicting Heroes of Rajasthan

Traditional Phad Paintings Depicting Heroes of Rajasthan

Rajasthani paintings beautifully depict rural Rajasthan and its conservations.  The tradition on painting the wall of houses with scenes from mythological and chivalric tales has been prevalent in Rajasthan for the past many centuries.

Today we are writing about some traditional Paintings of Rajasthan which are very famous all over world.

Phad Paintings

Phad paintings are a beautiful specimen of Indian cloth painting, which has its origin in Rajasthan. These paintings can be simply described as a large painting on Khadi, which venerates the deeds of a hero. They have their own styles and patterns and are very popular due to their vibrant colors and historic themes.

Phad paintings, depicting the life of Pabuji a local hero, now deified are predominately red and green coloured long scrolls carried by the Bhopas. They are unfurled by these itinerant balladeers of Rajasthan, who narrate in song the legend of pabuji on auspicious occasions to the accompaniment of the folk instrument ‘Ravanhatta‘.

Made by the joshis of Shahpura, near Bhilwara, Phads are now also available in smaller panels portraying single incidents or characters from the epic.

Pichhvai Painting at Shrinathji Temple in Nathdwara

Pichhvai Cloth Painting at Shrinathji Temple in Nathdwara

Pichhwai paintings

The Pichhwais are cloth paintings hung in temples. These Pichhwais depicting Lord Krishna as Shrinathji in different moods, are hung behind his image in the temple and changed according to the season. Done in dark rich hues on rough hand-spun cloth, they have deep religious roots and are devotionaly rendered by the painters.

This painting tradition developed in the temple of Nathadwara in southern Rajasthan, and the paintings show Krishna playing the flute and dancing with his consorts, the gopis. The divine love-play here stands for the devotion of believers and their union with their deity.

About Murals

All over Rajasthan, one can see brightly coloured murals. These murals done in the folk art style, depict processions, battles and folk deities. The murals in the palaces of Bikaner, Udaipur and Bundi are classical works of art and have been rendered in the miniature style.

The frescoes of Shekawati are world renowned and the region is popularly termed as an ‘Open Air Art Gallery’.