From Canvas to Color: The Art of Pichwai Paintings
The traditional Pichwai paintings originated in the town of
Nathdwara near Udaipur in Rajasthan several centuries ago. The
word Pichwai, pronounced as Pichhwai is a combination of two
Sanskrit words, “Pichh” meaning back and “wais” hanging, thus, it
refers to “that which hangs from the back”. Pichwai paintings are
distinctive in their iconography as they are large devotional art
forms. These are painted on cloth and portray the transcendental
form and pastimes of Lord Krishna. Pichwai paintings can be mostly
seen hung in the temples of Vallabha Sampradaya which is prominent
in the state of Rajasthan. The revered Shrinathji Temple in
Nathdwara is especially famous for the beautiful deity of Lord
Krishna as Shrinathji and the beautiful Pichwai paintings hung on
the back wall of the deity. Other common themes in these paintings
are Srimati Radharani, Gopis and cows of Vrindavan, Diwali,
Gopashtami, Nanda Mahotsav, Govardhan Puja, etc. Now, Pichwai
paintings have made their way into the homes of people because of
their extremely aesthetic appeal. Paichwais made in the modern
days also depict other forms of Lord Krishna such as Dwarkadish
(the King of Dwarka). The Pichwais in the back wall of the inner
sanctum in the Vallabha Sampradaya temples are changed daily
according to the ritual, festival, and season.
The process of making the world-famous Pichwai paintings is quite
elaborate and requires excellent skills as a lot of detailed work
is there. The intricate detailing captures the attention of the
observer and because the local artists of Rajasthan have expertise
in making these paintings, they are beautiful to look at.
1. Sketch is drawn
The traditional Pichwais are painted on a hand-spun cotton cloth
but in current times it is created on a large canvas. The first
step of making a Pichwai painting is to draw a rough sketch of
the main figure and secondary motifs and patterns as the
background on the starched cotton cloth. Generally, Shrinathji
or other forms of Lord Krishna are shown in the verdant
landscape of Vrindavan surrounded by beautiful ponds, trees,
flowers, river, and cows.
2. Images are painted with colors
Now that the sketch has been drawn, it is filled with colors.
The most attractive feature of Pichwai paintings is that bright
colors like yellow, pink, red, black, blue, etc. are used. The
skilled artists of Nathdwara use natural colors that are
obtained from indigo, coal, saffron, zinc, and other sources.
These colors are painted by using natural brushes made of horse
or squirrel hair.
3. The painting is embellished
Once the artist is done with coloring, depending on the Pichwai
style, the ornate part of the painting is embellished with
golden threads or gold leaf, and the borders are decorated with
gems or crystals. This decoration enhances the charm and beauty
of the painting.
It may sometimes take several months to complete one Pichwai
painting. Pichwai paintings have become popular in the entire
world and are highly valued in India. It has now become the main
export of Nathdwara. The tradition of making these paintings is
quite old and to date, it is practiced in Rajasthan and the skills
are passed down from one generation to the next.