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"Gopashtami" or Festival of Cows Pichwai

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“Gopasthami” in the visual idiom of Pichwai paintings is a celebration of Gopala (protector of cows) and his warmth toward his Go-Vrinda (cattle herd), where a divine blue-skinned Srinathji is seen surrounded by numerous cows, who gaze at him with a blissful affection. In this Gopashtami Pichwai, the Lord of Nathdwara stands in the center of the canvas, wreathed with gemmed ornaments, floral garland, and his quintessential Pitambara. A golden frame studded with jewels separates his sacred space from his surroundings. The deep blue of Krishna as if emanating from his presence, wraps the ambiance, using which as a backdrop the beautifully adorned cows and moon-faced Gopis stand out. Witnessing the heavenliness of the festivals, divinities appear on the horizon, filling the painting with their holy aura.

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Item Code:	MIW463
Specifications:	Watercolor on Cotton
Dimensions	36.00 inch Height X 24.00 inch Width

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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.

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