Pahari School of Art: Influence and Themes

The Pahari School of Art

The Pahari school of art is a genre of Indian painting known for its characteristic styles that emerged during the Mughal period from around A.D. 1650 to A.D. 1790. This form of art originated among the Hindu population living in the western Himalayan region, which was later expanded into other parts of India including Awadh, Kashmir, Punjab, and Benares. It was largely centered along the Himalayas and included the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Haridwar. Despite this regional focus, there were many common elements found throughout these areas due to their shared cultural heritage and geographical proximity.

Influences on Pahari Art

Many factors played a role in forming the unique characteristics of Pahari paintings. One such influence was Persianate culture, where the artists adopted a combination of Persian and European techniques while being deeply rooted in local traditions. This hybridization brought to life scenes depicting aspects of everyday rural life, often with a focus on courtly love poetry. Another significant influence came from the Hindu mythology and cults of goddesses like Bhagwati, Durga, Radha Krishna, etc., whose stories were rendered through various mediums like miniature paintings, wood carvings, murals, ivory work, metal sculptures, and textiles. These stories were popularized by the regional Hindu kingdoms that commissioned them, leading to their widespread presence across the Pahari region.

Themes in Pahari Art

The main subjects depicted in Pahari paintings can broadly be categorized under religious, secular, and scenic themes. Religious themes focused heavily on images related to the lives of deified humans or gods and goddesses, such as Ram, Sita, Hanuman, Shiva, Parvati, Rama, Ganesha, Laxmi, Sarasvati, etc.. Secular themes predominantly revolved around human beings performing daily tasks, dancing, fighting, playing musical instruments, attending social gatherings, festivals, etc.. Scenic themes mainly featured landscape views, flowers, birds, animals, and even non-human things like trees and rocks. These themes represented a balance between the spiritual world and the real one, reflecting both sacredness and sensuous pleasure.

In summary, the Pahari school of art is defined by its historical roots, artistic innovations, and thematic diversity, making it a vibrant and influential branch within Indian painting history.