Pahari Painting

• Earliest centre of painting in Pahari region was Basohli. Under the patronage of Raja Kripal Pal, an artist named Devidasa executed miniatures in form of Rasamanjari illustrations in 1694 AD. The last phase of Basohli style was closely followed by the Jammu group of paintings, mainly consisting of portraits of Raja Balwant Singh of Jasrota (a small place near Jammu) by Nainsukh, an artist who originally belonged to Guler but had settled at Jasrota.

Fig: Rasamanjari, Basohli

• Several portraits of Raja Goverdhan Chand of Guler were executed in 1750 AD in a style having close affinity with the portraits of Balwant Singh of Jasrota.

Fig: Balwant Singh in prayer, Nainsukh

• This style represents third phase of Pahari painting in the last quarter of 18th century. The Kangra style developed out of the Guler style.
• Paintings of the Kangra style are attributed to the Nainsukh family. Some of the Pahari painters found patronage in the Punjab under Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the Sikh nobility in the beginning of the 19th century and executed portraits and other miniatures in a modified version of Kangra style which continued till the middle of the 19th century.

Fig: Kaliya Mardana, Bhagvata Purana, Kangra

• A folk style of painting inspired by local tradition.