Chapter 13: Paintings on Walls - Wall Paintings of Rajasthan
Chapter 13: Paintings on Walls - Wall Paintings of Rajasthan
Exam relevance: RPSC / RSSB / REET / Board examinations Edition: Revised study material
SECTION 2: Core Idea
Rajasthan's murals are paintings on walls and ceilings. Palaces depict royal life, hunting and religious narratives, while Shekhawati havelis also feature folk romances and changing social life. Key centres include Junagarh in Bikaner, Amer, Bundi's Garh Palace and Chitrashala, Kotah Garh, Ahhichatragarh in Nagaur and the painted havelis of Shekhawati.
Technical distinction: Buon fresco uses fresh wet lime plaster. Fresco secco uses dry plaster and a binding medium. Aala-Geela is a local term associated with wet-plaster painting. Araish also denotes preparation and polishing of a smooth lime finish; it is not always an exact synonym for buon fresco. Pana is a conventional local term associated with Shekhawati wall painting, and Chejare refers to traditional mason-painters.
Key terms: Mural, wet plaster, dry plaster, Aala-Geela, Araish, Pana, Chejare, Chitrashala.
SECTION 3: Regional Contribution
| Region | Major sites | Identification |
|---|---|---|
| Bikaner | Junagarh; Karan Mahal, Anup Mahal, Badal Mahal, Chandra Mahal | Painted plaster, gilding, glass and mirror decoration |
| Amer, Jaipur | Amer Palace; Ganesh Pol | Painted gateway and Mughal-Rajput decorative influences |
| Bundi | Garh Palace; Chhatra Mahal, Phool Mahal, Badal Mahal, Chitrashala | Krishna narratives, courts, nature and festivals |
| Kota | Garh Palace; Bada Mahal | Hunting, courtly and religious scenes |
| Shekhawati | Mandawa, Nawalgarh, Fatehpur, Laxmangarh and Churu | Merchant havelis, temples and cenotaphs with murals |
| Nagaur | Painted palaces at Ahhichatragarh | 18th-century Rajput-Mughal wall painting |
| Udaipur | City Palace | Mewar courtly art and architectural decoration |
| Deogarh, Rajsamand | Deogarh Palace and Moti Mahal | Painting centre associated with Mewar; distinct from Pratapgarh |
Shekhawati is a cultural region, not a single district. General regional descriptions include Jhunjhunu, Sikar and Churu. Painted merchant havelis expanded particularly during the 19th and early 20th centuries, although earlier painted structures also survive.
SECTION 4: Origins and Main Features
- Murals and rock art: Prehistoric sites such as Alaniya in the Kota region belong to a different historical context from palace and haveli painting. Calling one site Rajasthan's oldest requires independent dating evidence.
- Local development: India has an ancient wall-painting tradition. The Italian word fresco does not establish that Rajasthan's entire practice arrived from Italy under Akbar. Amer should not be presented as its undisputed first application.
- Subjects: Ramayana, Krishna narratives, folk romances, hunting, courts, animals, birds and festivals. Subjects and palettes differ across centres.
- Surfaces and decoration: Mural painting, an Araish finish, gilding and mirror work are related but distinct processes. Not every painted building is exclusively a buon-fresco example.
- Dating: A building's foundation, an individual room's construction and its surviving paintings can belong to different periods. Inscriptions and conservation examination matter.
SECTION 5: Major Sites and Patrons
| Site | Patronage/period | Recall point |
|---|---|---|
| Junagarh Fort, Bikaner | Rai Singh; 1589-1594 | Present fort; additions by later rulers |
| Karan Mahal, Junagarh | Associated with Karan Singh | Public audiences; later decorative additions |
| Anup Mahal, Junagarh | Originally Anup Singh; later decoration under Surat Singh | Red-gold decoration; construction and embellishment are separate phases |
| Badal Mahal, Junagarh | Patron attribution differs between accounts | Blue sky and cloud imagery is a reliable identifying feature |
| Ganesh Pol, Amer | Mirza Raja Jai Singh I | Decorated gateway |
| Chhatra Mahal, Bundi | Rao Chhatrasal; 17th century | Painted part of Garh Palace; 1644 is the conventional construction date |
| Chitrashala, Bundi | Patronage of Umed Singh; 18th century | Krishna narratives and other murals |
| Garh Palace, Kota | Additions by successive Kota rulers | Bada Mahal; Rao Madho Singh Museum |
| Shekhawati havelis | Mainly merchant families | Folk romances and social life |
| Nagaur palace complex | Bakht Singh was a major patron; 18th century | Important group of painted palaces |
Remember Bundi Chitrashala as an 18th-century foundation associated with Umed Singh; do not treat 1749-1804 as an uninterrupted reign. Accounts of Badal Mahal in Bikaner differ on its construction patron, so a question demanding one indisputable builder is unsuitable.
SECTION 6: Regional Styles
| Centre | Study point | Caution |
|---|---|---|
| Amer | Mughal-Rajput artistic contact; Ganesh Pol | Paintings need not all share one date |
| Bikaner | Fine ornament, Usta work and painted palaces | Usta, gilding and fresco are different terms |
| Bundi | Krishna narratives, nature, animals and festivals | Distinguish Chitrashala from Chhatra Mahal |
| Kota | Dynamic hunting and royal life | Do not date the original Garh foundation to 1624 |
| Shekhawati | Merchant patronage and extensive haveli painting | Do not attribute the whole tradition to one ruler |
| Nagaur | Rajput-Mughal murals | Not all paintings are pale or exclusively devotional |
| Alwar | Courtly art and Mughal-Jaipur contact | Do not declare Braj subjects entirely absent |
| Deogarh | Painting associated with Mewar | Located in Rajsamand district |
SECTION 7: Important Timeline
| Period/year | Event | Distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Prehistoric period | Rock art in the Kota region | Distinct from later building decoration |
| 1264 | Traditional foundation of Kotah Garh, associated with Jait Singh | Identified as a traditional account by the museum |
| 16th century | Initial Udaipur City Palace construction under Udai Singh II | Government accounts differ between 1553 and 1559 |
| 1589-1594 | Present Junagarh Fort under Rai Singh | Foundation: 17 February 1589 |
| 1631 | Mughal confirmation of independent Kota under Madho Singh | Distinct from the original settlement/fort foundation |
| 17th century | Ganesh Pol at Amer; Chhatra Mahal at Bundi | Construction and later painting dates may differ |
| 18th century | Bundi Chitrashala and major Nagaur murals | Patronage associated with Umed Singh and Bakht Singh |
| 1799 | Hawa Mahal, Jaipur | Distinct from Hawa Mahal at Nagaur |
| 19th to early 20th century | Major expansion of painted Shekhawati havelis | Earlier structures also survive |
SECTION 8: Exam-Style Practice Questions
These are practice questions, not authenticated previous-year questions with verified examination dates.
Q1. Where is the present Junagarh Fort, and who built it? Answer: Bikaner; Rai Singh, 1589-1594.
Q2. Which patron is associated with Bundi's Chitrashala? Answer: Umed Singh; 18th century.
Q3. What distinguishes buon fresco from fresco secco? Answer: Wet plaster for buon fresco; dry plaster and a binder for secco.
Q4. How do Kotah Garh's foundation and Kota's independent statehood differ? Answer: Traditional foundation in 1264; confirmation of independent statehood in 1631.
Q5. Which region is celebrated for painted havelis? Answer: Shekhawati.
SECTION 9: Quick Revision
| Site/term | Key fact |
|---|---|
| Junagarh | Bikaner; Rai Singh; 1589-1594 |
| Anup Mahal | Original construction under Anup Singh; later decoration under Surat Singh |
| Badal Mahal, Bikaner | Blue sky and cloud imagery |
| Chitrashala | Bundi; Umed Singh; 18th century |
| Kotah Garh | Traditional foundation in 1264; Rao Madho Singh Museum |
| Shekhawati | Painted havelis; merchant patronage |
| Nagaur | Ahhichatragarh; 18th-century Rajput-Mughal art |
| Deogarh | Rajsamand district |
| Buon fresco / secco | Wet / dry plaster |
SECTION 10: Clear Up Confusion
- Construction and decoration: Anup Mahal's original building and later embellishment under Surat Singh are different phases.
- Repeated names: Badal Mahal occurs at Bikaner, Bundi, Nagaur and other places. A name alone does not determine the district.
- Hawa Mahal: Jaipur's 1799 structure and Hawa Mahal in the Nagaur palace complex are distinct.
- Udaipur: Jag Mandir and Jag Niwas are separate island palaces. Jag Mandir was completed under Jagat Singh I.
- Chronology: Kotah Garh's traditional foundation is 1264; independent statehood was confirmed in 1631. Do not use 1624 as the original construction date.
- Technique: Not all murals use wet plaster; Araish can also denote surface preparation and polishing.
- Map recall: Bikaner: Junagarh; Jaipur: Amer; Bundi: Chitrashala; Kota: Garh; Nagaur: Ahhichatragarh; Rajsamand: Deogarh.