The Pichwai Paintings of Nathdwara

1. Downloaded from: justpaste.it/Pichwai-Paintings-of-Nathdwara The Pichwai Paintings of Nathdwara Pichwai paintings have been trying to pace up with the modern world. Given the digitalization of the world, an art lover can now find pichwai paintings online as well. Pichwai paintings are antique paintings that originated in Nathdwara, Rajasthan. With Srinathji as the main focus of the paintings, these paintings are one of the most valued amongst the various Indian art forms paintings. These paintings have distinctive subjects, Srinathji being the main. The paintings are designed around the life events of Srinathji. Other popular forms are lotus and cow. Srinathji is closely associated with cows as their protector and nurturer. Being associated with Srinathji, cows are considered divine and an abode to all the demigods of the Hindu pantheon. The cows of Vrindavan longed to be tended by Srinathji and would rush to him whenever he played his flute. They yielded nectar-like milk and lead a fearless life under the protection of the Supreme. Cows are pious by default and the ones which were personally tended by Srinathji were so fortunate that even celestials such as Brahma, Shiva and others considered themselves purified by having a glimpse of these cows. The Pichwai painting is developed on a cotton cloth and framed in an ornate border that is hand-painted. The colors used in these traditional Indian art form paintings are all-natural colors. These natural colors are obtained by grinding natural stones of different hues.

2. The word Srinath is a combination of two words ‘Sri’ and ‘Nath’. Sri means Lakshmi (consort of Lord Vishnu or Krishna) and Nath means Master. So ‘Srinath’ is the name of Krishna which means Master or Husband of goddess Lakshmi. The suffix ‘Ji’ is commonly used at the end of names in North India, Rajasthan, to showcase respect to the person being referred to. The events of the life of Srinathji is the major focus of pichwai paintings. These paintings depict scenes mostly from Srinathji’s loving sports in Vrindavan with Gopis and cowherds. The art of pichwai art emerged when the cloth-sheet serving as a background behind the statue of Srinathji was beautified with Rajasthani style paintings created by devotee-artists. In-fact the word Pichwai is a derivative of the Hindi word ‘Peeche’ which means ‘behind’. The painters, in their dedication to Srinathji, went on creating new background cloth-sheets painted with various themes for different occasions. The discarded sheets were preserved and thus started a whole genre of Rajasthani art called Pichwai and alongside emerged a team of devoted artists who would dedicate their art in service of Srinathji and keep painting for generations that continues till date. Many of these artists are still ardent devotees themselves and lead a very simple life.

3. Srinathji’s temple is in Nathdwara, a small town in Rajasthan. The elaborate set of customs and procedures of offering loving service to Srinathji were founded by Vallabhcharya, an ardent devotee of Srinathji, great Sanskrit scholar and a philosopher. He founded the ‘Pushti Marg’ of devotional service to Lord Krishna wherein the Supreme Being is conceived of not as all-powerful, hard to access Brahman of the Vedas but a small, loving child in want of his devotee’s loving service. Srinathji is therefore pampered with choicest of delicacies, rich garments by doting devotees throughout the day with elaborate rituals and procedures. Art enthusiasts can now find Pichwai paintings online.