Pichwai Paintings: Devotion and Art in Harmony

Pichwai are intricate and huge formal cloth paintings made in honour of Lord Srinathji of Nathdwara, one of the avatars of Krishna. It is located in Rajasthan state, where Nathdwara is a significant Vaishnava centre where the Pushti Marg or Vallabh Sampradaya cult has strong roots. The shrine or haveli of Shrinathji is focused towards devotion and this painting caters to the worship and ritual needs of this sect. The purpose of the painting is twofold- aesthetic as well as didactic. It not only beautifies the shrine, which is decorated with keen interest as a gesture of devotion, but the paintings visually represent umpteen episodes from Krishna’s life, becoming a point of contemplation for visiting devotees. A group of artists work together to produce pichwai art masterpieces. This art form is primarily for the temple and private shrines as a backdrop wall hanging for the resident Shrinathji idol. In recent years the Pichwai paintings in recent years have also been collected by patrons for their artistic merit.