Emotions in miniatures

I visited Udaipur after a gap of 15 years for field work on early medieval temples and, like all ‘well-trained’ travellers, went to the treasure trove that is the City Palace Museum. Being a long weekend, the place was crowded and one was pushed and herded from one room to the other, in the numerous palaces that make up the complex. The living quarters and the ornamental halls of the palace, with Indo-Baroque and Indo-Chinese tiling and enamelling, and Chini Mahal tiling, were all besieged by tourists.

Surprisingly, at the Krishna Vilas section, which houses the largest collection of Mewari miniatures, there were just three other viewers. While this allowed us to enjoy and study the collection at leisure, it’s a sad comment on the lack of importance and attention paid to one of the most precious elements of our heritage.

One can see the evolution of art and history in the armory of the hunting scenes painted by Mewari artists, in a bid to edify their royal patrons. The hilly landscape, in contrast to the deserts of the Marwar region, are evident in the paintings, as leopards and lions take refuge in the scrub forests with royal retinues in pursuit. There is great emphasis on the feudal privileges and lifestyles of the royal and aristocratic families in the paintings, which are of great historical and cultural value. For instance, the works portraying festival celebrations on the famed Gangaur boat and the reception of foreign emissaries.

The bright colours and emotional appeal that is characteristic of the Mewar school of miniatures is also well represented in the Krishna and Radha paintings, as well as the ragamala series at the museum. Even the techniques and materials of paintings are demonstrated in a model miniature workshop. The only thing that is needed is awareness, education and sensitivity.