Art of Rajasthan
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Maru Gurjara Art is an ancient Rajasthani art that developed during the early sixth century period in and around Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...

.

Etymology

The name Maru Gurjara has its genesis in the fact that during ancient times, Rajasthan and Gujarat had similarities in ethnic, cultural and political aspects of the society. Ancient name of Rajasthan was Marudesh while Gujarat was called Gurjaratra. Maru Gurjara Art literally means Art of Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Historical Development

During the early medieval period, perhaps early 5th century, a unique art form was taking shape in and around two areas of western India namely Marudesh and Gurjaratra (present day Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...

 and Gujarat
). During this period Marudesh and Gurjaratra saw tremendous changes in the political and cultural sphere and these changes lent a helping hand in further development of art. By the onset of seventh century; art of painting and sculpture had reached its zenith in these areas.

Maru-Gurjar Painting

Colorful tradition of Rajasthanis reflects in art of paintings as well. This painting style is called Maru-Gurjar Painting. It throws light on the royal heritage of ancient Rajasthan. Under the Royal patronage various styles of paintings developed, cultivated and practiced in Rajasthan and reached its pinnacle of glory by 15th to 17th centuries. The major painting styles are phad painting
Phad painting
Phad painting is a popular style of folk painting, practiced in Rajasthan state of India. This style of painting is traditionally done on a long piece of cloth, known as phad. The narratives of the folk deities of Rajasthan, mostly of Pabuji and Devnarayan are depicted on the phads...

s
, miniature paintings, kajali paintings, gemstone paintings etc. There is incredible diversity and imaginative creativity found in Rajasthani paintings. Major schools of art are Mewar
Mewar
Mewar is a region of south-central Rajasthan state in western India. It includes the present-day districts of Pratapgarh, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Dungarpur, Banswara and some of the part of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The region was for centuries a Rajput kingdom that later...

, Marwar
Marwar
Marwar is a region of southwestern Rajasthan state in western India. It lies partly in the Thar Desert. In Rajasthani dialect "wad" means a particular area. The word Marwar is derived from Sanskrit word 'Maruwat'. English translation of the word is 'The region of desert'., The Imperial Gazetteer...

, Kishangarh, Bundi, Kota
Kota, Rajasthan
Kota , formerly known as Kotah, is a city in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located south of state capital, Jaipur. Situated on the banks of Chambal River, the city is the trade centre for an area in which millet, wheat, rice, pulses, coriander and oilseeds are grown; industries...

, Jaipur
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....

and Alwar.

Development of Maru-Gurjar Painting
  • Western Indian Painting Style - 700 AD
  • Mewar Jain Painting Style - 1250 AD
  • Blend of Sultanate Maru-Gurjar Painting Style - 1550 AD
  • Mewar, Marwar, Dhundar & Harothi Styles - 1585 AD

Phad paintings

Phad painting
Phad painting
Phad painting is a popular style of folk painting, practiced in Rajasthan state of India. This style of painting is traditionally done on a long piece of cloth, known as phad. The narratives of the folk deities of Rajasthan, mostly of Pabuji and Devnarayan are depicted on the phads...

s (
Mewar
Style of painting) is the most ancient rajasthani art form. Phad paintings, essentially a scroll painting done on cloth, are beautiful specimen of the Rajasthani cloth paintings. These have their own styles and patterns and are very popular due to their vibrant colors and historic themes.The Phad of God Devnarayan
Devnarayan Ki Phad
Devnarayan Ki Par or Devnarayan Ki Phad are cloth paintings which depict the legend of Devnarayan, a medieval hero venerated as a folk-deity. Traditionally, they are used to accompany a ritual in which the heroic deeds of Devnarayan are sung or recited by priests...

is largest among the popular Pars in Rajasthan. The painted area of God Devnarayan
Devnarayan
Shri Devnarayan , an ancient Gurjar warrior from Rajasthan who is believed to have been an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is worshipped as a folk deity, mostly in Rajasthan and north-western Madhya Pradesh.According to tradition, he was born to Sri Savai Bhoj and Sadu mata Gurjari on the seventh day...

 Ki Phad is 170 square feet (i.e. 34' x 5'). Some other Pars are also prevalent in Rajasthan, but being of recent origin they are not classical in composition. Another famous Par painting is Pabuji Ki Phad
Pabuji Ki Phad
Pabuji Ki Phad is a religious scroll painting of folk deities, which is used for a musical rendition of the only surviving ancient traditional folk art form in the world of the epic of Pabuji, the Rathod Rajput chief....

. Pabuji
Pabuji
Pabuji is a folk-deity of Rajasthan in India. He lived in 14th century in Rajasthan. He was one of four children of Dhadal Rathore of village Kolu, two boys and two girls...

 Ki Phad is painted on a 15 x 5 ft. canvas. Other famous heroes of Phad paintings are Gogaji
Gogaji
Gogaji also known as Jahar Veer Gogga is a folk deity of Rajasthan state in India. He is an eminent warrior-hero of the region. He is also venerated as a saint and even as 'snake-god'.- Introduction :He is known as Goga among the Hindus...

, Prithviraj Chauhan, Amar Singh Rathore
Amar Singh Rathore
Amar Singh Rathore was a Rathore Rajput nobleman affiliated with the royal house of Marwar, and a courtier of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in seventeenth-century India. After he was disinherited and exiled by his family, he entered the Mughals' service...

etc.
)
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