Kishangarh School of Painting

The Kishangarh School of Painting is associated with some of the most romantic legends of Indian art, particularly that of Sawant Singh and his beloved Bani Thani, reflecting the intertwining of romance, mythology, and bhakti. This school developed through the close interaction between Sawant Singh, the prince and lover; Nagari Das, the poet; and Nihal Chand, the painter, who together created some of the most iconic works of this tradition.

The figure of Bani Thani is often said to resemble Radha. She is depicted with a distinctive profile, large and lustrous eyes, thin lips, and a pointed chin. Her odhni or headgear defines her side profile. This stylised feminine form became the hallmark of the Kishangarh School. The artists also produced numerous paintings depicting the devotional and amorous relationship between Radha and Krishna.

Mewar School of Painting

The kingdom of Mewar resisted Mughal suzerainty for the longest time and eventually accepted Mughal authority during the reign of Shah Jahan. The capital of Mewar shifted from Ranthambhore and Chittorgarh, after the fall of these forts, to temporary bases in the wilderness. Later, during more peaceful times, the city of Udaipur was established. The rulers of Mewar continued to patronise art even during periods of adversity, though the years of relative peace and prosperity witnessed an extraordinary flowering of artistic activity.

Early Mewar painting is dominated by the remarkable figure of the artist Sahibdin. This phase focused on his illustrations of literary texts such as the Rasikapriya, the Ramayana, and the Bhagavata Purana. After Sahibdin’s death, the style of Mewar painting underwent a change, with greater emphasis on depictions of court life. A unique feature of this later phase is the extraordinary tamasha paintings, which portray court ceremonies and city views in unprecedented detail.

Murals at Badami Cave Temples, Karnataka

Although the Badami Cave Temples are primarily famous for their sculptures, they also contain important mural paintings. Despite losing much of their original grandeur, these murals provide insight into the artistic excellence of the period and are among the earliest surviving Hindu paintings. Dating to the 6th–7th century AD, the murals depict various subjects and resemble the traditions of Ajanta and Bagh.

The human figures are shown with graceful and compassionate expressions, large half-closed eyes, and protruding lips. The themes include paintings of Chalukyan kings, Jain saints renouncing worldly life, Shiva and Parvati, Puranic events, and various deities. Cave No. 3 is particularly notable for its mural depicting four-armed Brahma seated on a swan.

Jogimara Cave Paintings

Jogimara Cave is an artificially carved cave located in the Surguja district of Chhattisgarh, dating back to around 1000–300 BC. It contains a few paintings and inscriptions narrating a love story written in Brahmi script. The cave is believed to have been attached to an amphitheatre, and the paintings were created to decorate the chamber. The subjects include dancing couples and animals such as elephants and fish. The figures are outlined in red, with the use of white, yellow, and black colours. The nearby Sitabenga rock-cut theatre is also significant.

Lepakshi Paintings

Located in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh, the Lepakshi mural paintings were executed on the walls of the Veerabhadra Temple during the 16th century under the Vijayanagara Empire. These paintings follow religious themes drawn from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and incarnations of Vishnu. A distinctive feature of Lepakshi paintings is the near absence of primary colours, especially blue. The figures and costumes are outlined in black, and the paintings reflect a decline in artistic quality compared to earlier traditions.

Ravan Chhaya Rock Shelter

Located in the Keonjhar district of Odisha, the Ravan Chhaya rock shelter contains ancient fresco paintings on a half-opened umbrella-shaped rock formation. It is believed to have served as a royal hunting lodge. The most notable painting is a royal procession dating back to the 7th century. Remains of Chola period paintings from the 11th century are also found here.

Sittanavasal Cave (Arivar Koil) Paintings

Located about 16 km northwest of Pudukkottai town in Tamil Nadu, these famous rock-cut caves are known for their Jain mural paintings. These murals closely resemble the paintings of Ajanta and Bagh. The paintings are found on the walls, ceilings, and pillars, and their central theme is Jain Samavasarana (the preaching hall).

Some scholars attribute these caves to the Pallava period, when King Mahendravarman I excavated the temple, while others believe they belong to the 7th century Pandya period when the shrine was renovated. The paintings were executed using vegetable and mineral dyes applied on a thin layer of wet lime plaster. Common colours include yellow, green, orange, blue, black, and white.

The central element of the Sittanavasal paintings is a lotus pond from which monks are shown collecting flowers. Ducks, swans, fishes, and animals are also depicted. This scene represents Samavasarana, the divine audience hall where Tirthankaras delivered sermons after attaining kevala-jnana. Bulls, elephants, apsaras, and gods are shown gathered to witness this grand event.