Pichwai Painting on Jharokha

Amongst the plethora of traditional art forms that India abounds in, one such art form, Pichwai, depicts the famous tales of Bhagwan Shri Krishna. Pichwai painting originated approximately five centuries ago in the temple town of Nathdwara, near Udaipur in present – day Rajasthan – it began when the local artists started creating intricate and embroidered decorations depicting the various life events of Shri Krishna such as Raas Leela, Janmashtami, Govardhan Puja, et al. While ‘Pich’ stands for ‘back’, and ‘wai’ stands for; hanging’ in the local dialect, these paintings depict Shri Krishna in various 'leelas' with the moon, lotus blooms, peacocks, parrots or cows, and are set in the lush vegetation the artists found aplenty in their surroundings. Pichwai paintings reflect the classic Indian tradition of Guru-Shishya as the intricacies of this art are passed down through the generations. Creating a Pichwai painting may take several months because of the intricate designs and embroidery work. Initially, Pichwai were painted on handspun starched cotton cloth, using completely organic and natural colors, paints and even brushes. Over time, and with the impact of commercialization, artists have now started using natural as well as acrylic colours to give the atheistic touch to these paintings.

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Materials Required

• Jarokha, Acrylic color, brushes, stencil