Basohli Painting
Folk Painting
History
Basohli, a town in the foothills of the Shivalik Mountains in Kathua district of Jammu Division, emerged as a great center of painting in the late 17th century. Under Raja Sangram Pal (1635–1673), Vaishnavism became the dominant influence, inspiring the celebrated Rasmanjari series with Krishna as the protagonist. Later, under Raja Kirpal Pal (1678–1693), the art matured into polished, naturalistic forms. Called “poems in color,” Basohli paintings express intense emotion, rich symbolism, and lyrical depictions of landscape.
Raw Materials and Tools
Basohli paintings use handmade Sialkoti or Wasli paper, prepared by layering thin sheets bound with flour (maida) and copper sulphate, then burnished with cornelian stone or seashells for smoothness. Colors come from natural plant extracts, mineral pigments, and earth stones, while gold and silver enhance ornamentation. Brushes are made from squirrel hair or dove feathers bound to bamboo strands. These materials, paired with gum adhesives, ensure vibrant, enduring, and luminous artworks of high refinement.
Process
The process begins by preparing Wasli paper, smoothed and burnished to a glossy surface. Artists sketch outlines using fine squirrel-hair brushes or styluses. Natural pigments are applied in layered washes, creating translucency and depth, with each stage left to dry before refinement. Exaggerated eyes, bold expressions, and detailed costumes are carefully highlighted. Ornamentation includes 24-carat gold for jewelry and architecture, with pearls depicted in embossed white paint and beetle wings used for emerald green accents.
Design and Color
Basohli paintings are renowned for their bright primary colors—red, yellow, blue, and green—combined with bold black outlines. Characterized by emotional intensity, figures often display large, expressive eyes and dramatic gestures. Themes span religious, mythological, literary, and historical narratives, from the Ramayana and Gita Govinda to secular portraits. Embellished jewelry, flowing costumes, and ornamental architecture enrich the compositions. These features, along with gold highlights, create works described as lyrical, vibrant, and opulently sensuous.
Product Range
Traditionally created as miniature paintings, Basohli artworks served devotional, literary, and courtly purposes, illustrating epics, puranas, and romantic poetry. Today, they are adapted into framed miniatures, wall panels, greeting cards, and fabric-based décor, bringing this 17th-century heritage into modern homes. Collectors and museums prize originals for their rarity, while contemporary artisans continue to reinterpret the style, keeping Basohli’s status alive as one of India’s greatest miniature painting traditions.