The Deccani Schools of Painting

The popular themes in Deccani painting were royal portraits, court scenes, Ragamala paintings, musical themes, romance, Sufi subjects, hunting and hawking, and symbolic diagrams.

Some examples from the chapter are:
- Court and royal scenes: rulers seated on thrones or *diwan*s, often surrounded by attendants and dancers.
- Ragamala paintings: paintings based on musical modes, with beautifully dressed women, musicians, and graceful, stylised figures.
- Yogini: a solitary female figure shown in a spiritual, contemplative mood, with flowing scarves and a vertical composition.
- Sufi and devotional subjects: such as Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya and Amir Khusrau, showing music and religious devotion.
- Hawking and hunting scenes: such as Sultan Ibrahim Adil Shah II Hawking, full of movement and energy.
- Symbolic and fantastic compositions: like Composite Horse and The Throne of Prosperity.

These themes often used rich colours, dense composition, and a romantic, sensuous mood.

Two Deccani paintings I like are Yogini and Sultan Ibrahim Adil Shah II Hawking.

Yogini is striking because of its vertical composition and graceful figure. The woman stands calmly with jewellery, a long scarf swirling around her body, and a bird near her, which gives the painting a peaceful and meditative feeling. The landscape is delicate and filled with decorative plants, making the whole scene look elegant and poetic.

Sultan Ibrahim Adil Shah II Hawking is impressive for its energy and bright colours. The red limbs and tail of the horse, the flowing garment of the sultan, the dark forest, and the white hawk together create movement and excitement. The painting beautifully combines Persian and native elements.

Both paintings show the special charm of Deccani art: colour, decoration, and emotional expression.