Pahari painting

Pahari painting is a tradition of miniature painting that developed in the Himalayan hill states of northern India, especially from the seventeenth through nineteenth centuries. Its regional styles depict Hindu epics, devotional poetry, court life, and nature.

Miniature painting: Small-scale painting made with fine detail, often on paper or another portable surface. Pahari painters adapted the precision and portable formats of the wider miniature tradition.
Wasli: A layered paper support used for Indian miniature painting. Pahari painters worked on this prepared surface to support fine lines and opaque color.
Kangra State: A historic Himalayan kingdom centered in the Kangra region of present-day Himachal Pradesh. Kangra’s court became a major center for one of the tradition’s most influential styles.
Krishna: A major Hindu deity, especially associated with divine play, love, and devotion. Krishna’s stories and relationships became central subjects in many Pahari paintings.
Rajasthani painting: A group of regional painting traditions that developed in the courts of Rajasthan. Its courtly styles share subjects with Pahari painting but follow different regional conventions.
Pahari painting schools: Regional styles of Pahari painting associated with distinct Himalayan courts and centers. The tradition is understood through schools whose palettes, figures, and compositions differ.
Gouache: An opaque water-based paint made with pigment and a binding medium. Opaque pigments allowed Pahari artists to build saturated fields and precise details.
Basohli State: A historic hill kingdom in the Jammu region of the western Himalayas. Its court supported an early school that helped establish Pahari painting’s visual identity.
Bhagavata Purana: A Sanskrit Hindu text containing narratives of Vishnu, especially Krishna’s life and deeds. Its episodes offered artists a rich source for devotional narrative scenes.
Deccan painting: A set of painting traditions developed in the sultanates and courts of the Deccan plateau. Its southern court settings and visual idioms offer a useful comparison with Himalayan schools.

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Hindu artBroader topic: Its paintings interpret Hindu devotional poetry and episodes from sacred narratives.