Kashmiri Pandits: Originators of
Pahari-Kangra School of Art
P. N. Kachru*
[*The author is a renowned artist of Kashmir, who was one of the prominent
pioneers of Kashmir Art Movement during the turbulent days in Kashmiri Cultural
Renaissance of 1947-1950.]
[*Reproduced from Naad of
October 1999]
"The Migrants"- this is the calling
through which the authorities, the media, the publicity experts have stamped and
marketed us, the dispossessed and hunted minority community of Kashmir.
Being an artist and a man of culture I ponder over this calling differently.
It is the migration that has given rise to the world cultures. Migrations
have been the very basis and the reason for interaction between the races and
tribes which sauntered on the surface of the most ancient soils. It is
through migrations that different cultures, beliefs and philosophies interacted,
got enriched, intermingled and mixed-up into the cauldron of commingled
interaction through which human culture developed and turned the humankind
worthy of calling itself civilised. The mighty drama of migratory
comminglement of the three earliest sister civilisations, nourished the
Indo-Mesopotamian culture. The massive migrations from the North, seeking
warmer pastures, resulted in Indo-Aryan or Indo-Germanic culture that gave birth
to vedic and the Zendic cultures. The great Indo-Bactro-Grecian culture
that mixed-up and thrived in North-Western India and was responsible for the
evolution of richest movements known as Gandhara and Mathura Schools which were
destined to thrive into the golden age of Guptas. This cultural movement
was responsible for infiltration and enrichment of North-India, which culminated
into the aesthetic pinnacles of Kashmir School by establishing, now
internationally known, the Wushker Baroque. These powerful trends were
carried deeply by artists of Kashmir to little and greater Tibets, Central Asia,
Mongolia and China.
Kashmir also had its share of migration-in and migration-out of various
hordes, tribes and communities. The compromise of Nila with the migratory
Kashypa and the regular combined expeditions towards North for the massacre and
annihilation of Pishachas over the desert of Takiamakan; twice the destruction
of Poomadishtan, the ancient city of Srinagar, by the Toonganees who were the
ferocious crossbreed of Mongols and Chinese women, all these are the
wellestablished facts of the cross-cultures of our history.
In recent and past history too, Kashmir had to pass through convulsive
traumas brought in by fanatic converts of Mongol breed that led to the mass
exodus of Brahmins, not once, but several times during the past centuries for
adhering to their faith and philosophy. In such migrations there were some
talented sculptors and painters who for centuries, had been responsible in
establishing the Kashmir School of Sculpture and post-Gupta Schools of Pala
Styles in Painting and were involved in spreading the movement to Tibet and
Central Asian regions. Under the severe threat of proslytisation, and
under the fear of being dubbed as creators of Idolatory, many artists it seems
migrated for their safety into the neighbouring principalities of Himachal
Pradesh. It was in this region of outer Himalayas where the Kashmir
Schools of Arts thrived again and gave rise to gorgeous tapestry of art that
became internationally known as Pahari movements, culminating into renowned
Kangra Kalam or Kangra School of Painting.
This renaissance of Pahari culture was a post Moghul phenomena when the most
of the Himachal Princedoms and states could independently look after their
principalities. Most of the princes who had to be in attendance to the
Moghul Court and had to eke out the resources of their states in order to cater
to the whimsical demands of the monarch and also, had to fill the imperial
coffers. This not only reduced the states to penury and poverty but also
created local cultural vacuum. Most of the artistic talents hovered round
the imperial court for seeking recognition and prosperity. This cultural
exodus did a great disservice to the then leading northern schools. The
artists got detached from their respective tradition, trend and locale and had
to be subservient to the moods and methods of the monarch, besides reducing
their talents to mere eulogy and falsehood. With the disintegration of the
formality of the figures and the division of picture Imperial rule the Rajas and
the Princes reverted to spaces-all these qualities were imposed with their
principalities to reorganise their home-rule. The cultural scene of the
Himachal principalities again . reverberated and started rejuvenating amongst
its milleu and methods and traditions which we vitalised and reinterpreted by
the Kashmir Movement. Thus the post Moghul vaccum was filled and augmented
with the rich Baroque introduced by a talented fugitive Kashmiri artist family.
This family of Rajanaka (Razdan or Raina) Brahmins swept the entire region
with their genius and were responsible for the introduction of one of the most
romantic movements in fine art in almost all the principalities of jasrota,
Basohli, Guler, Jummu, Chamb, Noorpur and Kangra. The family swept,
influenced and led the movement from 1658 to the end of 19th century in almost
all the centres of artactivity and enjoyed favourable position with various
Rajas of the Pahari principalities.
Pandit Seu (Shiv) Raina was the ancestor of this family who, it is presumed,
left Kashmir under the threat of forced conversion, sometime in mid 17th century
(1660 AD) and settled in Guler during the reign of Raja Dalip Singh and Bikram
Singh. Elucidates Mr. M. S. Randhawa (I. C. S.) "Proselytism to
Islam was at its height during the last years of the reign of Aurangzeb.
In the last quarter of the 17th century and the first quarter of the 18th
century a number of Kashmiri Brahmins migrated from Kashmir to Kangra valley to
seek sanctury in the courts of the Rajas of Kangra Hill States. It is very
likely that Pandit Seu was one of them". Even now, as witnessed
during the research on the subject, it has been found that there are a number of
families of Kashmiri Brahmins, particularly Rainas, who have settled in Haripur
Guler as well as in some villages in Tehsil Palampur. The family's origin
has been confirmed repeatedly through their initials on various paintings done
by Pandit Seu and two of his renowned painter sons Manak (Mana) and Nainsukh
(Nana) who mostly impress their name prefixed with 'Pandit' and suffixed with 'Raina'
or 'Rajanaka'.
Pandit Seu Raina founded and introduced the "pre-Kangra" style in
Guier under the princely patronage of Raja Dulip Singh. The style richly
vibrated with an amalgam of Pahari folk and Kashmiri Pala Style. The
static attitude of forms, the solidity and I decorative brilliance of colours,
which imparted the tribal passion, energy, vehemence and depth of thoughtfulness
in the paintings. These qualities are basically the elements of Kashmir
School which are primarily responsible for the powerful sprouting of Basohli,
and which, it seems, Pandit Seu and his two genius sons, Manak and Nainsukh,
inculcated under the Patronage of Basohli Raja. As recorded, the most
regular and frequent movement of Pandit Seu and his sons between Basohli and
Guler do indicate that the father and sons must have been working simultaneously
in Basohh and Guier, as the two centres are very near to each other.
Besides, the interaction of influences must have worked through the past
centuries, because the town has been an important stoppage on the trade route
between Kashmir and Punjab and rest of India; and also through Raja Amrit Pal
(1757-1776) who was a reputed lover of art and culture.
The early quarter of twentieth century regenerated the discovery of these
movements. particularly Basohli paintings which have become much sought after
and fabulously priced pieces of art. Incidentally, it was by sheer chance
that a sizeable collection of Basohh came as a valued share to our State.
In fact, with Pandit Seu's entry into Raja Dulip Singh's atelier a complete
change took place in the outlook of the workshop and brought into practice the
style popularly known as "Pre-Kangra Kalani". Later on, the
style seems to have spread effectively to other states, but it was most
effectively pursued in Culer, Basholi and Jammu. Subject wise, Pandit Seu
seemed to have invested his genius in portraitures, which could successfully
maintain the pictorial qualities of vertical projection and attainment of
dimensions by juxtaposition and interspersing of forms and surfaces over his
canvas. Some of his highly technical and dexterous portrait studies are
luckily salvaged and preserved in various museums and collections. Notable
of them are the portrait sketches of his two sons Manak and Nainsukh the famous
standard bearers of the movement. While he was in the employ of Raja Duhp
Singh of Guler, Pandit Seu had done some of the masterly portrait studies
superimposed with highly sensitive and linear brushwork; such as Mian Gopal
Singh of Guler playing chess (Chandigarh Museum), formerly in the collection of
Guler Darbar; "A Seated Courtier" (Victoria and Albert Museum London);
"Raja Bishan Singh of Guler" (in the National Museum, New Delhi) and
again 'Raja Bishan Singh', presently in the collection of late Sir Cowasji
Jahangir, Bombay, the renowned patron of the modem Indian Art movements.
Besides, the portrait of 'Raja Bikram Singh of Guler' ' performing pooja, and a
'Battle Scene" (Chandigarh Museum), the "Dancing Darveshes" (in
Lahore Museum). All these are the subjects of a deeper study and
appreciation for aesthetics. The frozen attitudes of hands, the solidity
and formality of the figures and the division of the picture spaces- all these
qualities, as already mentioned, are the qualities and basic elements of Kashmir
School.
The three generations of Seu Raina spearheaded the fusion of Basohli and
Baroque to the final flowering of the new movement that culminated in Kangra
School. This transformation was the work of a single family of influential
artists who originated from Kashmir The family worked at several hill centres.
Guier is the centre for this technical development where the family of Pandit
Seu settled in its initial stage. Seu's son Nainsukh is the best known and
the most 'irmovative". He was employed by Raja Balwant Singh of
fasrota (1724-1763). After Balwant Singh's death in 1763, Nainsukh moved
to Basholi where his elder brother Manaku was working and was practising and
propagating the new style. One of Nainsukh's sons was working in the court
of Raj Singh (1764-1794) the ruler of Chamba.
The ultimate blooming of the Kangra style under the patronage of Raja Sansar
Chand (1775-1823) was piloted by the third generation of Pandit Seu's dynasty.
It was here that the lyrical Guler style reached a high point in the Love themes
of Kangra Kalam. This subject and theme were from the love poems from the
Rasikapriya of Keshav Das, the court poet of Raja Madhukar Shah (1580-1601) of
Central India. The Nayak and Nayika in the Rasikapriya are Krishna and
Radha, the ideal love symbols of God and soul. "Geet Govinda"
series and 'Bhagwat Purana" also were the themes of this movement.
Geet-Govinda of the Vashnavite poet jaideva has achieved its passionate
excellence through the master pieces created by the renowned painter Manaku, the
eldest son of Pandit Seu. Poet Jaideva was the court-poet of King
Lakshmana Sena of Bengal where from the Pala-Sena movement of the Gupta's laid a
marked influence on Kashmir SchoolBesides, as typical of the nature of an
artist, Manaku was inspired by the poet's weaving into his songs an eroticism of
fascinating sensuous imageries which make the poems throb with passion and above
all the word-music which flows like a murmuring brook gushing in a verdant
forest. The rich imageries, the pen-pictures of landscape and the
treatment of various states of love became a treasure and a rich tapestry for
artist to draw upon. The artist's technical excellence, aesthetic
sensitivity and emotional vibrations were idealised through the expression of
his lyrical drawings, throbbing colours and quiet landscape locales. Some
examples of the most romantic compositions of jaidev and their subsequent
emotionally charged transformation by Manaku are worthy of high contemplation :
"Oh spouse of the cowherd, caressing passionately her swelling breasts,
proceeds to sing the Panchama Raga. "It is a moonlight night almost
at daybreak. Birds are still roosting on the trees. Krishna stands
caressing the Gopi (Radha) while the earliest pink specks of the morn have
touched the distant peaks across the meadow. Krishana says :" The
hair is disarranged by the tossing of tresses, their cheeks bear drops of
perspiration, the lustre of her red lips is diinmed, the glory of her swelling
breasts defeat the lustre of the pearl necklace, she is hiding now her breasts
and her privacy with her hands. She is looking at me bashfully and though
disarranged, is spreading the light of love." Manaku's rendering - It is a
lush green composition of undulating meadow skirted by a brook and overshadowed
by a grove under which she (Radha) is poised in helpless nude condition besides
Krishna. The excellence of mastery over human anatomy coupled with
delicacy of body undulations and ebb-and-flow of curvatures is the last word
that Manaku has simplified and translated through the simplicity of form.
The two sets.of Geet-Govinda by Manaku- One painted in Basholi Kalam (1730)
and the other in Kangra style- seemed to have raged into controversy in the
columns of modem art criticism. It was finally resolved that Manaku, while
in the employ of the Basholi Court in early eighteenth century, painted the
Basholi set under that influence. This set was in the collection of Lahore
Museum which I studied in 1946-47. The second set of Geet-Govinda painted
in Kangra style represents the most exalted and final stages of sophistication
which Manaku achieved through his experimentation with his techniques and
observations. The throbbing and sumptuous colour, controlled but
expressive draughtsmanship and the lively set-up of the landscape had
established the unique standard for Manaku's compositions. These paintings
are supposed to have been painted by Manaku in Guler period of 1760-1770.
At some later time this set sppears to have reached the court of Maharaja Samsar
Chand of Kangra and later to Tehri Garhwal as the dowry of the two daughters of
Sansar Chand who were married into Tehri Garhwal family. It was simply the
genius of Manaku who could establish the Basohli Kalam and then evolve through
it Kangra Kalam wherein he displayed all the aesthetic sensitivities and
sensibilities.
Another controversy erupted between the well known art historian Karl
Khandalvala and the researcher of Pahari movement Mr. M. S. Randhava; the former
claiming that the name Manaku of the Sanskrit verse appearing in the reverse
side of the Basholi Geet-Govinda collection, was actually the name of the noble
lady and not of the artist who is supposed to have painted the collection.
Mr. Khandalavala's plea was that the name does not appear as Manak but as Manaku
sounding it to be a female name. However, the controvesy was settled by
late Dr. Raghuvira, the well-known Sanskrit Scholar, who translated and
interpreted the two identical colophons appearing on both the BashOli and Kangra
styles. The Sanskrit colophon appears as given below :
Dr. Raghuvira analyses the two last lines in the following manner : Vyarcayad =
caused to be composed; aja bhakta = the devotee of Aja (the unhorn, Vishnu);
Manaku = through Manaku; Chitrakartra = the artist; Vicitram = characterised by;
Lalita = a delicate; Lipi = brush; Geet-Govindacitram = the painting of
Geet-Govinda.
He translates the whole couplet thus; 'In the Vikrama year corresponding to
the moon, the mountains, the gems and the sages, viz. V. S. 1787 and 1730
A. D. a devotee of Aja, caused this painting of the Geet-Govinda, characterized
by a delicate brush, to be painted by Manaku, the artist". He adds
further the literal meaning of the whole verse thus: "In the year 1787 VS
(1730 AD), Malini, noted for her qualities of discrimination and judgment, and
who prized her character as her principal wealth, who was a devotee of the
Immortal One (Vishnu), had a pictorial version of Geet-Govinda in beautiful and
varied script composed by the painter Manaku". He clarifies, further,
that 'Manak' or 'Manaku' is a male name in the hills, and is never used as a
female name. The female name is 'Manako', 'Gulabo' and so on. While
pointing to the grammatic principal and the gender of its Agent, Gopi Krishna
Kanoria, scholar and aesthete, clears the confusion in an easy manner, 'Manaku',
the principal and its agent 'Chitrakartra' is enough to establish the
masculinity of the painter.
Manak's younger brother Nainsukh took his service with Raja Balwant Singh of
Jammu as well. His entry into the court of Jammu changed the entire mood
of the tradition. Identically like his brother he had enough to offer to
the existing traditions of Jammu Kalam. Observes W. G. Archer,
"within this local tradition (of Jammu Kalam) which reaches its height in
the portrait of Brij Raj Dev, Nainsukh of Jasrota appears as a sudden mysterious
intruder'. "Intruder" in the sense that he introduced and
prevailed upon the situations by introducing his strong and well organised
notions about the pictorial values over which he had a masterly grip and
command. His colour schemes and themes were subservient to the
Organisation of form and the dimensional planes. In short, he could be put
in the category of formalists and abstractionists who use natural forms for
pictorial organisations. He could be aptly titled as Picasso and Mondrian
of the Pahari movement. His is the marked feeling for geometric structure,
strong colou'r and vitalistic line. His whole approach is architectural.
His pictures are a series of receding and forwarding planes and thus nothing
else could be an ideal contribution to the simple flatness of the local style.
Compared to his elder brother Manak, who could be called poetic and romantic,
Nainsukh was an aesthete and fundamental. A typical example of his planned
picturisation is his well known painting of Raja Balwant Singh listening to
music. It is a well planned canvas composed with horizontal and vertical
divisions of the background and the palace architecture, within which the Raja
and the musicians are mere decorations of the broader planning and composition.
Another similar masterpiece is "Raja Balwant Singh of Jammu inspecting a
horse".
In earlier career of his Guler days and later on in Jammu his aesthetic and
formalistic principles dominated the local tradition, while his occasional short
visits, under the patronage of Raja Amrit Pal of Basholi, created a great change
in later Basholi period. Nainshkh seemed to be a dominating influence in
Jasrota also, and being so effective in Basholi, Guler, Jammu and Chambha.
The Emergence of Chamba School
In the later part of eighteenth century the Samba principality seemed to have
been gaining an edge over the neighbouring Basholi. This was the period
when Basholi became subservient to Chamba politically as well as economically.
This prosperity seemed to be the reason for cultural and artistic rejuvenation,
particularly in the fields of architecture and painting. Nainsukh moved
from Guler to Jammu and from Jammu to the court of Raja Amrit Pal of Basholi
where he laid deep influence of his own style of miniaturist delicacy.
Later he very ideally created a style that was a subtle fusion of delicate
silhouettes and Pahari colour tones. Thus the element of Aesthetic
Romanticism was brought into the Bashoh primitive style. The style took
firm roots in Basholi quickly and very swiftly. The door wings made in
Kangra style were brought by Raja Raj Singh to Chamba when he sacked Basholi
palace in 1782.
It is evidenced that Nainsukh would visit Chamba court occasionally, and
later on, his sons Ranjha and Nikka were responsible for the artistic prosperity
and the establishment of Chamba Kalam, it being an ideal fusion of Kangra-Guier
miniaturism, Pahari purity of colour-tones and element of primitive vigour of
Basholi forms. The well-known series of "Rukmini Haran" are a
typical example of Chamba School studies.
The subjugation of and predominance over Basholi seems to have been
responsible for the emergence of Chamba style as most of the sons of
NainsukhRanjha, Nikka and Godhu led the activity of the atelier of Raja Raj
Singh of Chamba. Nikka, the third son of Nainsukh, is known to have
founded the style in Chamba court but was later on joined by Ranjha (fourth son)
and Godhu the second son. AR the sons, Kama, Godhu, Nikka and Ranjha were,
along with their father, the Guleria painters and were for sometime settled
there wherefore they spread their artistic tentacles over Basholi and Chamba,
finally settling in Chamba. This activity was further strengthened by the
effective contribution of Harku and Chaioo, the two sons (third generation) of
Nikka.
Ranjha, the most talented one, remained in the court of Raj Singh from
1772-94. These were the years when well-known "Anirudh Usha"
series were painted by him. Intermittently, Ranjha seemed to have been
paying commissioned visits to Bashoh where, in the service of Raja Amrit Pal he
painted the "Nala-Damayanti" series. This series, though painted
in Basholi was the typical Chamba style, thus having laid its strong influence
on Basholi tradition. In this series there are visibly strong influences
of Chamban architectural forms.
Ranjha the fourth son of Nainsuk, was most dynamic in maintaining relations
from Chainba with Guler and Basholi as well. He seems to have been
occasionally attending these courts, particularly the court of Raja Bhup Singh
of Guler.
A significant collection of Ramayana series was painted by Ranjha during the
reign of Raja Ghupendra Pal (1816) of Basholi. The basic drawings of the
series were got made by Ranjha from another Kashmiri artist (not in the family)
named Sudarshan. This gives insight into the methodology and process that
must have been going on into the workshops of artists, where there used to be a
professional division between masterdrawer and the painter. Such a
tradition of division seems to have been lingering on in the house of the
last-known painter, Narayan joo Kachru "Mooratgarh" of Srinagar.
The division of work was between him and his daughter. She would prepare
the drawings and father would complete the miniatures with colours and the
brushwork details.
Ranjha's son Gursahai (fourth generation and grandson of Nainsukh) proved a
greater genius in drawing and draughtsmanship. Super-sensitive, erotic and
highly passionate themes were the main subjects of his paintings. His
great studies in appreciation of human anatomical form and its highly
interpretative formation could have been the work of a genius only. He
thus composed highly sensitive compositions of nude studies. The "Kokashastra"
series also remained one of the chief products of his collections.
Atra, the son of Nikka worked in the court of Raja Raj Singh of Chamba.
The inscription over one of his paintings reads the names of Nikka, Ranjha (Ram
Dayal), Chajju, Harku (Nikka's son) and Saudagar (the fifth generation and
grandson of Nikka) besides himself, mentioning all being in the atelier of Raja
Raj Singh of Chamba.
Ram Dayal, the grandson of Nainsukh worked in the court of Bijai Sen of Mandi.
Kiru - five generations away remained in the court of Patiala. Nainsukh's elder
brother Manaku had two sons. namely Khushala and Fattu. The whole family
worked in the court of Raja Goverdhan Chand of Guler till his death in 1773.
They continued with Raja Prakash Chand till 1785, but intermittently leading
their projects in other centres like Basholi and Chamba. The occurrence of
financial crisis in the court of Guler led to the migration of Raia Sansar
Chand's court at Kangra. Khushala became the chief painter in the Kangra
court and painted a Geet-Govinda series for Maharaj Sansar Chand.
Chetu the great grandson of Khushala (fifth generation) and Sultanu the
grandson of Nainsukh, both were the court artists of Raja Shamsher Singh (1826).
Chetu's paintings reached the court of Garhwal, but there are indications to his
physical presence in the court of Sudarshan Shah of Tehri Garhwal, where he
established the Garhwal School of Pahari movement.
The other important centres of Pahari movement led and established were Tira
Sujanpur, Mandis Patiala (a non Himachal centre) and Kulu. The Kulu style
is considered to be an ideal amalgam of folk and Kashmir style. Some of
the fourth generation Rainas migrated to Kulu in the second decade of the
eighteenth century.
Surprisingly, the six generations of Pandit Seu Raina produced about
forty-six children, and all of them artists who penetrated their genius very
deep into the mileu of all Himachal principalities, thus embedding the whole
treasure-accumulation of four thousand years into their new home of outer
Himalayas. It needs yet another treatise to keep their track in all the
courts and cultural centres of the region.
The essence of cultural treasure of Himachal Pahari is the decoctant of human
experience accumulated through the constant in-flux and out-flux of human
migrations and re-migration along with the shores of Mediterranean, the Tigris
Euphratic waters and the settlements which thrived along the shores of Ganga,
Yamuna, Sindhu and Saraswati.
It has been time-and-again that this forward human leap had to be preceded by
a mighty exodus of civilised races. Thus, the history in this respect, has
been repeating itself; and I think to complete the circle the history has again
pushed us on the path of exodus to take once again a great leap forward as we
did in the recent past.
I think, this is the only call (or should I call it NAAD) of the hour for
those who migrated due to the brutal convulsions of our History.
References
1. Wushkar Baroque : Wushkar, a well known village in Baramulla (Kashmir) on
the bank of Vitasta (Kashmiri name of jehlam river) where famous Buddhist
Viharas had a massive facade of terracotta creations depicting Bhudha's life.
The style, now internationally known after the name of the village, is the
culmination of Gandhara-Mathura style rendered with sensitive details (linear)
of expression and decoration.
2. The name Shivji Raina is even now a common name amongst Kashmiri Pandits.
Phonologically, in Himachal Pahari Parlance 'Shiv' has changed into 'Seu'.
3. The pilgrimage registers kept by Pandas at Haridwar, Kurukhestra and
Pehowa do confirm and state as "Pandit Seu Raina of Guler"
4. First discoverers W. G. Archer and Percy Brown.
5. Though in most inhospitable conditions, this biggest collection now lies
in the Dogra art Gallery of Jammu. Before its acquisition, this valuable
collection remained as the personal property of one Pahda Kunj Lal, a descendent
of the royal physicians of Basholi Rajas. It was in 1956 that a
devastating fire in Basholi destroyed property of Hakim Pahda Kunj Lal and thus
he was compelled by circumstances to present the sizeable collection to the then
Chief Minister of the State, Bakshi Ghulam Mohammed who came to visit the town.
This valued collection was loaned by the Chief Minister for an exhibition of
Festival of Kashmir, of which myself and reputed Kashmir poet late Pandit
Dinanath 'Nadim' were the organisers. I felt that this treasure should
remain a national treasure rather that a personal property. Pandit 'Nadim'
and myself posed the problem to the then Education Minister late Mr. G. M. Sadiq
who sorted out the matter with the Chief Minister and thus this valuable
collection became the national property.
6. Chandigarh Museum and Indian Museum Calcutta.
7. "Arts of India"- Victoria and Albert Museum.
8. This led to the foundation of Chamba Scho6l.
9. God is achieved not through austerities but through love.
10. "Notes on Pahari Painting" by Gopi Krishna Kanoria (Rupa Lekha,
AIFACS)
11. Mannakuchitrakarta should be taken as one word in which Manaku is the
principal and is its agent denoting the gender. Its feminine would be
chitrakartee
12. Collection of Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
13. Now the door-wings are in the collection of Bohri Singh Museum, Chamba.
14. 1764-94, rule of Raja Raj Singh of Chamba.
15. Bohri Singh Museum, Chamba.
16. Dr. Karan Singh Collection.
17. Dr. Karan Singh Collection. Collection: Bohri Singh Museum of
Chamba and the Punjab Museum, Chandigarh.
18. "Kangra-Artists", Art and Letters, 1995, Vol. YXIX, No.
I.
19. Collection: Bharat Kala Bhawan, Banaras. 'The Artist of the
so-called Ranjha-Ramayana drawings" J. R. A. S., vol. XXI, No.
9/3-4,1979.
20. In Kashmir, Papier-Mache professionals are still divided as khuhunmore
and Nakash. The original leykhan = leykhun in Kashmiri in which by
practice becomes silent. So leykhan (Hindi) > leykhun > suhun
21. "N. G. Mehta collection" by Khandalwala.
22. The "Ramayana Series", "The rape of Yadav women", the
"Birth of Krishna" from Bhagwat folio and "Rukmini Parinaya"-
all in the collection of Chandigarh Museum.
23. Godhu the second son of Nainsukh along with uncles Fatu and Khushala,
took the Kangra influence in the principality.
24. Ram Dayal the great grandson of Nainsukh worked in the court of Raja
Bijay Singh (1851) of Mandi.
25. The famous Shangri Ramayana Series have been painted in this Kalam.
26. For the profound in-depth and crisscross forward movement of human
culture I refer to great and classic book titled 'The Martyrdom of Man' authored
by Winwood Read, and first published a century ago.
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