Mysore Paintings

When one hears the phrase “South Indian Traditional paintings” possibly the first style of paintings that come into our mind is Tanjhavur/ Tanjore paintings with heavy gold decorations etc. There is a sister art to this art form, which in my eyes are much subtler and finer – the mysore paintings. Both these art forms are derivatives of other traditional art forms.

[Pic: A modern Tanjore painting with Thai figure. Artist: Bindu P V]

The Mysore kings were ruling the princely state from Srirangapattana and Raja Wodeyar (1578-1617 A.D.) employed several painters from Vijayanagar and thus laid a sound foundation of Mysore Traditional Painting. These painters were also assigned allied work in decoration, preparing banners, doll making, gold work, painting the temple cars, preparing portraits of rulers, deities and saints. The Mysore kings that followed also encouraged this style of painting.

[Pic: Durbar in Mysore Palace. Image from: http://www.mysorepalace.gov.in/]

[Pic: A portion of a Mysore painting composition of Girija Kalyanam. Artist: Bindu P V]

These artists used locally available material for their paintings. The hair of the squirrel were used as brushes by tying them with a silken tread and inserting them in the narrower end of a quill. The board for painting were obtained by pasting a cloth or waste paste to wooden planks. Controlled- burnt tamarind sticks were used as sketching charcoal. The sky and river were painted followed by animal and human figures. The gold (gesso) foils are pasted last. In southern India, two types of gesso art are found predominantly, namely the Tanjore gesso works and the Mysore gesso works, . This comparison chart of the two traditional schools of classical Indian painting are provided to so you can appreciate the difference between their history and styles.

[Pic: Part of paintings of Shri Rama and Maha Vishnu from Tanjore and Mysore paintings respectively]

Comparing Tanjore (a.k.a. Tanjavur) and Mysore style of gesso paintings

In my observation, semi precious stones, Kudan stones etc were not added to the mysore paintings like that in Tanjore paintings















[Ref: http://www.kamat.com]

Traditional Art

            The word "Traditional" signifies transmitting something from one to another through generations, like customs, practice etc. which are long established and are considered heirlooms of past. It is important in the context of cultural continuity or preservation of cultural details of a community. Tradition hence refers to way of living, ways of thinking, ways of interacting etc. Hence traditonal art means ways of decorating oneself and one’s habitat, ways of connecting truth with beauty and utility with aesthetic appreciation, involving ideas and emotions in living at a higher aesthetic plane, removed from the pure mundane existence. Traditional art is the art that is relevant for the entire community. The early painters produced a style for the community and the predecessors to be followed while doing the paintings. The anonymity of Indian artists, with very few exceptions, roots from the concepts of painting as a form of sadhana, ie. to attain the self realization necessary to merge with the divine and thereby attain moksha/nirvana – the liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Hence these styles flourished as a revered heirlooms, in many cases with little or no modification.

           The early extant specimens of what may be described as truly traditional Indian paintings were murals. Here the painting is made to stick to the base of lime plaster [on wall/stone/rock]. According to Chitrasutra [as mentioned in the book “Indian Painting – The Great Mural Tradition”, pg. 390] “The Chitrasutra also lays down the technique of preparing plaster. Three different types of brick powder, mixed with gum resin, beeswax, honey, molasses and safflower soaked in oil must be soaked in a pot of water for a month. It becomes a soft paste and has to then be applied to the wall. ...” Works on such walls are seen in Ajantha and other places.

[Pic: Kapi Jataka portrayed in Ajantha cave]

        Over the period of time this idiom was transferred to other places like Bagh, Badami, Ellora, Talagirswara, Brihadiswara temple, Vrupaksha temple at Hampi, Lepakshi temple etc. The idiom that evolved in these wall paintings was extended to the miniatures and manuscripts.

[Pic: Lepakshi Paintings]

[Source: https://ssubbanna.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/37-lepakshi.jpg]

         There is an undercurrent of folk art in the Deccani paintings of Bidar (around 1347) and in the Vijaynagar paintings of Hampi, Anegondi and Lepakshi. The tableau- like placement of flat figures as distnguished from an elaborately decorative and patterned background in all these paintings is characteristically folk in intent and execution. The Vijayanagar School of Painting (A.D. 1336 to 1665) was very distinct from the earlier styles and has made a great contribution to the Art of India. specialized in drawing war scenes, folk dances, animal hunting, commercial transactions and everyday life of the common people. In many such painting styles the tradition remains, but the nuances differ, They sometimes incorporate transitional changes and evolve into a new tradition which becomes another heirloom as in the case of the Tanjavur and Mysore paintings which are offshoots of the Vijayanagar paintings.

With the passage of time, especially in the modern times these traditional paintings are going through a lot of changes in the way they are implemented by the modern generation, Their exposure about different media, other arts and the need of the hour of bringing these heirlooms from the interiors of the temples, caves, palaces etc. where they were hidden from the ordinary people for centuries etc. has resulted in the modern way of expression of these traditional paintings.

[References: http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/myspaint/intro.htm
Mysore Chitramala - Traditional Paintings by Prof. S.K. Ramachandra Rao.]

[The Pictures are used only for representational purposes]

Kerala Temple Murals

[Pic: The murals on the walls of Mattancherry Palace in Kochi

from http://hinduexistence.org/tag/mattancherry-palace-kochi/]

         Kerala temple murals were wall paintings done on the walls of the sanctums of temples, palaces etc. These works date back to 9th - 12th CE. They are comparatively well preserved in some ancient palaces etc. In art the most oldest works used three colors red, black and white. If ever a third color was used it was either green. Paintings like Mandana which was discussed in the previous blogs use the reds, whites. Whereas in Kerala temple murals as they are known as nowadays to differentiate from other temple murals , like the modern "traditional" wall paintings done on temple walls with the commercial glossy paints etc. and other ancient murals found on the temples like the temples of Kanchipuram etc., use panchavarna [5 colors] - white of the wall, black of the charcoal, red, yellow and green [ in rare cases blue is also used. It is obtained from Neelamari.]. The green here is obtained by mixing the yellow with the blue from Neelamari. Some artists also used to use imported indigo.

                   [Pic: Painting of Lord Ganesha in the Kerala temple mural style on canvas.]

[Pic: The mural designs on the roof of Guruvayoor temple]

 [Pic: Painting of TriMukha Ganesha in the Kerala temple mural style on canvas.]

 [Pic: Painting of Radha Madhavam in the Kerala temple mural style on Kerala Saree]

        There are various branches of Kerala temple mural styles. Each one beautiful in it's own way. I learnt the Mammiyoor style practiced in Guruvayoor. The traditional way of doing the paintings are pain staking with the base prepared organically using tender coconut, lime etc. Once done the sketching is done using charcoal [generally Aryavep/Neem branches etc. are burnt to make charcoal sticks] and then the yellow base is applied to wherever needed followed by further yellow, blue or red applications as per the figure or design need. Since this form was done on walls, and that used to make it difficult to transfer the work to a new site, or impossible to conduct exhibitions etc. the new generation artists do the art form on canvas and other media including plywood, cloth etc. Kerala sarees and shirts with these mural designs, terracota jewellery with these images and designs are a rage in India and abroad, especially amongst keralites. This makes it possible to convert the murals limited to the interiors of temples and palaces into a kitch art form reach into the hands of rich and middle class people who generally love these works because of it's beautiful design elements and vibrant colors.

- Bindu P V

[Pic for representational use only]

Mandana - one of the folk art forms of Western India

MANDANA: A Gujarati Folk Art Form

[Pic: Mandana on the walls of a rural home]

[Pic: Mandana on the walls of White Sanctum Art Gallery]

Like many other folk art forms, this form, too, has been woven inextricably into our social and cultural fabric. Mandana is expressed through different forms and symbols around religious and auspicious social occasion. These images are beautifully delineated through triangles, pentagons, octagons, squares, round or circles, embellished with floral motif and bird and animal form.

White chalk (khadi), red or ochre chalk (geru) and indigo powder are melded for the creation of Mandana. Each of these ingredients is soaked in water separately in different ways.

[Fig: Mandana of Brahma Vishnu Mahesh]

A piece of cloth is soaked in these colours separately, wrapped around the small finger and than different forms are executed on the cow dung plastered mud walls facing the front yard of the house.

[Fig: Mandana on floor]

What makes the Mandana art form particularly interesting is that each original image is beautifully expressed through instinctly created symbols and forms. There is no limit to elaborated and executed with a high degree of imagination and ingenuity.

[Fig: Mandana of Yog Shakti]

This folk art form reflects the quality of the life of simple folks in its entirety with great spontaneity and directness that, again,affords us a valuable insight into their world.


The rendering of this art form can be seen on the wall and court of houses and raised platforms (chabutra) on which food grains are strewn for birds to feed on.

Mandana is considered to be symbols of joy and prosperity. It is supposed to bring joy in people’s lives. Although this ancient art form is ingrained in tradition, it is seen amazingly integrated in mainstream currents of modern art.

This folk art form has evolved to become the core of traditional art and will remain so forever. It will flourish from generation to generation as a part if social customs and become one with living art.

- Atul Padia

Folk and tribal art of India

"Folk and tribal art in India takes on different manifestations through varied media such as pottery, painting, metalwork,[60] paper-art, weaving and designing of objects such as jewelry and toys.These are not just aesthetic objects but in fact have an important significance in people's lives and are tied to their beliefs and rituals. The objects can range from sculpture, masks (used in rituals and ceremonies), paintings, textiles, baskets, kitchen objects, arms and weapons, and the human body itself(Tattoos and piercings). There is a deep symbolic meaning that is attached to not only the objects themselves but also the materials and techniques used to produce them.

Often puranic gods and legends are transformed into contemporary forms and familiar images. Fairs, festivals, local heroes (mostly warriors) and local deities play a vital role in these arts. Example : Nakashi art from Telangana or Cherial Scroll Painting.

Folk art also includes the visual expressions of the wandering nomads. This is the art of people who are exposed to changing landscapes as they travel over the valleys and highlands of India. They carry with them the experiences and memories of different spaces and their art consists of the transient and dynamic pattern of life. The rural, tribal and arts of the nomads constitute the matrix of folk expression. Examples of folk artists are Warli and Gond."








[Pic taken from http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/art/tales-of-dots-and-dashes/article4952472.ece for representation purpose only]





[Pic: Mandana Painting of Ganesha by Atul Padia]



"While most tribes and traditional folk artist communities are assimilated into the familiar kind of civilised life, they still continue to practice their art. Unfortunately though, market and economic forces have ensured that the numbers of these artists are dwindling.[61][62] A lot of effort is being made by various NGOs and the Government of India to preserve and protect these arts and to promote them. Several scholars in India and across the world have studied these arts and some valuable scholarship is available on them.

The folk spirit has a tremendous role to play in the development of art and in the overall consciousness of indigenous cultures."




[From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_art on Folk and tribal art of India]