The Pahari Schools of Painting
CBSE · Class 12 · Fine Arts
Summary of The Pahari Schools of Painting for CBSE Class 12 Fine Arts. Key concepts, important points, and chapter overview.
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Pahari painting refers to the painting traditions that grew in the hilly regions of the western Himalayas from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century. The broad development moved from the bold Basohli manner to the refined Guler or pre-Kangra phase and then to the poetic Kangra style. These paint
Key Concepts
Pahari means hilly or mountainous
Pahari means hilly or mountainous in origin. The painting centres grew in hill areas such as Basohli, Guler, Kangra, Kullu, Chamba, Mankot, Nurpur, Ma
Pahari painting is broadly grouped into
Pahari painting is broadly grouped into three styles: Basohli, Guler, and Kangra. These are best understood as major phases or centres of artistic gro
Basohli is the earliest Pahari pictorial
Basohli is the earliest Pahari pictorial style and is flamboyantly bold. It developed magnificently under Kirpal Pal, who ruled Basohli from 1678 to 1
The most popular theme of Basohli
The most popular theme of Basohli painters was Rasamanjari by Bhanu Datta. Other themes included Bhagvata Purana and Ragamala. Devida, a tarkhan or ca
A new style called the Guler
A new style called the Guler-Kangra phase came into vogue during the 1690s to 1730s. It emerged as Basohli style gradually transformed into a softer,
Learning Objectives
- Understand the meaning and historical spread of Pahari painting
- Identify the three broad styles: Basohli, Guler, and Kangra
- Recognise the role of important patrons and artist families
- Explain the distinctive features of Basohli, Guler-Kangra, and Kangra styles
- Recall major themes such as Rasamanjari, Gita Govinda, Bhagvata Purana, Ramayana, Ashta Nayikas, and Baramasa
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Sources & Official References
- NCERT Official — ncert.nic.in
- CBSE Academic — cbseacademic.nic.in
- CBSE Official — cbse.gov.in
- National Education Policy 2020 — education.gov.in
Content is aligned to the official syllabus. Refer to the board website for the latest curriculum.
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