For a person brought up in India,
it’s not uncommon to have grown up listening to the glorious stories of
Lord Krishna. The stories of Krishna, especially the tales of his
childhood, make up a significant and beautiful part of Indian culture
and history. From books to movies and different kinds of media, these
tales are everywhere. However, not many know that there is an art form
specialized particularly to depict these tales of Krishna. This is a Pichwai Painting.
The central theme of Pichwai Paintings revolves around the stories of
experiences of Lord Krishna, majorly from his early years. Although
lesser known by its name, Pichwai paintings find their home in galleries
and buildings around the world. Let us throw some light on what is
Pichwai, how it was born, its modern-day picture and other interesting
facts. Keep reading below.
What is a Pichwai Painting?
Read its Intro & Definition
Pichwai
is a Sanskrit word in which ‘pich’ stands for back and ‘wai’ stands for
hanging. Pichwai paintings are referred to Mewar-style textile
paintings that are found hanging on the walls of temples, houses, art
galleries and museums, specifically Nathdwara temple from where they
were first originated.
How were Pichwai Paintings born?
Read their History & Origin
Dating back to 400 Years
Although
Pichwai is a 400-year old Indian art form, its origins date back even
earlier. If you’re of Indian origin, you must have heard the tale of
Govardhan at some or the other time in your life. It goes like this.
Once
upon a time, Lord Indra under his rage, expressed his anger on the
people of Vrindavan in the form of thunder and rains which led to heavy
floods in the city. In order to protect his beloved fellows, little kid
Krishna, on one of his fingers, lifted the Govardhan mountain as a form
of an umbrella.
Discovery of Nathdwara Temple
Around
1400 A.D., an idol of the mountain holder was discovered at a place
near Udaipur, Rajasthan. Owing to its significance, the place became
highly revered and hence to preserve the moment of history, a temple was
constructed here by the Rajputs.
The Beginning of Pichwais
Next, during the 16th
century, not soon after the construction of Nathdwara temple was
completed, the local artists began the decorations of the temple. One
such decoration came about to be Pichwais. Communities of artists
started creating embroidered and painted illustrations of events from
Lord Krishna’s life. The velvet cloths were intricately decorated with a
hand in threads and embellishments of a royal kind and then hung on the
walls of the temple. Soon enough, the lesser known art started
attracting artists and art lovers from around the globe. And this is how
Pichwais were discovered and found their home in hearts and galleries
around the world.
Some More Characteristics of Pichwai Paintings
- Main Character & Themes: As
mentioned above, the main character of these paintings is Lord Krishna.
However, the themes vary from Lord Krishna childhood tales, Radha Krishna paintings and various festivals celebrating Krishna, like Janmashtami, Govardhan Puja, Sharad Purnima, Holi, Annakut etc.
Due to their cultural and historical significance, Pichwais
are used for a variety of purposes including decorations, home
interiors, and even to illustrate the tales of Krishna to people who’re
illiterate or differently abled.
- Intricate Detailing: The communities of artists creating Pichwai paintings are specially related to Chitron Ki Gali (Street of paintings) and Chitrakaron ka mohallah
(colony of painters). A group of artists gather under the guidance of a
master or Guru artist. Along with top-of-the-line artists, the process
of creating these paintings is quite unique. They aren’t created through
regular easel-and-brush technique but rather very intricately stroke by
stroke while sitting on the floor. Even the brushes are made of
delicate hair of horse, goat, or squirrels. The result, Pichwais are
full of intricate embroideries, state-of-the-art gem work and fine
detailing.
On
a cloth starched and dried, rough figurines are drawn. On top of a
velvet and cotton background, the paintings are adorned with traditional
style appliqués, zardozi work, gold thread stitches, pearls and gota
work. Pink lotuses, peacocks, women, cows, village scenes and nature,
are some of the most common subjects of a pichwai painting. Apparently,
different timelines of Krishna’s life are depicted.
- Colour Palettes: The colour palette for a Pichwai painting
is prepared in such a way that it exudes a fabulously aesthetic touch. A
combination of natural and acrylic colours is used including zinc,
saffron, coal, noble metals and indigo.
Pichwai Paintings Today
Along
the valleys of Aravali hills, amidst the stalls of sizzling Kachoris
and sweet rabris, you will find the bustling temple of Nathdwara near
Udaipur, Rajasthan. Inside the temple, there are halls where you’ll find
artists working delicately on the Pichwai paintings. Near to it, you’ll
find stalls of paintings to purchase from. Buy for your living space,
keep it as a souvenir or simply take a stroll watching and adoring the
magnificent craft of Pichwai!