Holi in India: A Journey Through Paintings

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Holi in India A Journey Through
Paintings Article of the Month - Mar 2024 This
article by Prakriti Anand
? Add a Comment Sweets and savory dishes on
plates, bowls of colors, Gulal in the air, people
singing Phaag (folk songs celebrating Phagun or
the month of Holi), fervor, and joy all around-
the arrival of Holi is a time when everyone
welcomes energy, newness, and life with open
arms. In the states of India, people have
different ways of celebrating the festival with
their loved ones.
This ancient festival of colors seems to be one
of the most important occasions for the people of
India till modern times. In this blog, we will
relish the vibrancy of Holi through the colors of
Indian painting. With each brushstroke and
eye-catching color filling the canvas with
eternal colors, these paintings perfectly capture
the essence of Holi for India and its people.
Holi of Radha Krishna in Pichwai Paintings of
Rajasthan
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Lord Krishna Playing Holi with Radha and Gopis
Pichwai Art In the art of Pichwai, Krishna is
Srinathji- the Lord of Nathdwara and its Haveli,
who celebrates Holi with his devotees and beloved
Radha, Gopis, and Gopas. The festival of Holi at
Nathdwara, much like Vrindavan and other temple
towns dedicated to Krishna, is an occasion to
behold. Srinathji comes out in his Rajbhog
Darshan, where the head priest of the temple
first offers the colors to the idol and then
throws it in the air, declaring the commencement
of the festival. In the Pichwai paintings, the
devoted painters transform the Holi of Srinathji
into a divine affair, by depicting him with Sri
Radha Rani, Gopis, and cowherds of Gokul,
standing on the terrace of the haveli, with
nature in full bloom, peacocks dancing and
lotuses blossoming.
Holi in Folk Art Pattachitra and Holi of
Radha-Krishna
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Radha Krishna Playing Holi in Vrindavan The
colors of Holi get richer as we move towards the
treasure of Indian folk art. Taking inspiration
from the innumerable legends, tales, and beliefs
of people, these paintings create marvelous
visions on canvases. Pattachitra paintings, with
their vibrant hues and stories of Gita Govinda
and local legends, use Radha-Krishna as the
heroine and hero, enjoying the arrival of spring
and the company of their friends. The Pattachitra
scrolls represent the blue-skinned Krishna
mischievously throwing colors on his beloved
Radha, covering her in the colors of love, as a
charming visual narration of Jaidevas Gita
Govinda, which has popularized the stories of
Radha-Krishna. The paintings are also an
expression of the festivity of Dola Poornima, the
regional festival of Orissa dedicated to
Radha-Krishna, which coincides with the
celebration of Holi.
Holi in Baramasa Paintings The Month of Phagun
Baramasa - Month of Phalgun (Shishir) Baramasa or
the Twelve Months or Seasons are traditional
Indian paintings depicting the twelve seasons
through the changing moods of the heroine
(Nayika). In the poetry of Keshvadas that has
inspired the aesthetics of Baramasa, Phalgun
(February-March) is described as the month for
romance, where nature becomes beautiful and young
men and women enjoy playing with colors in each
others company. In the Baramasa painting of
Phalgun, the foreground is often shown with a
container full of colors and Pichkari (water
guns), with the heroine embraced by the Nayaka
and telling him to not leave her in the month of
Phalgun, which brings passion and love for young
lovers. Holi in Baramasas universe is thus
synonymous with Phagun, where nature welcomes
Sringaar and Prema (romance and love) with
garlands of fragrant flowers.
Holi in Mughal Miniatures
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Holi - Mughal Miniature The colors of Holi
transcended religious and cultural boundaries and
colored the celebrations of the Mughals. As
Aab-i-Paashi or Eid-i-Gulabi, Holi became one
of the favorites of the Mughals, who had a
substantial number of Hindu residents in their
palaces. Artisans, traders, courtiers, and
members of the royal family indulged in the
festival of colors with great fervor, leading to
a rich tradition of Mughal miniatures in which
elite men and women are depicted enjoying the
festivities of Holi. Mughal paintings of Holi
celebrations capture Holi in the medieval period,
with subjects seen wearing luxurious attires,
standing in the ahata or courtyards of their
palaces and havelis, and playing with colors. The
precedence set by Baramasa and other painting
traditions on Holi had a clear impact on the
Mughal artworks, which continued the tradition of
depicting the ambiance of Holi through romantic
couples, embraces, colors, and playful moods of
the hero and heroine on canvas.
Holi in Modern Paintings
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Holi Celebrating Woman Watercolor on Paper By
Shubham Sarkar Indias love for Holi did not
change with time and even with the coming of the
modern period, the colors of Holi remained rich
in the culture of its people. Modern versions of
Holi celebration include gatherings, dance and
music festivals, and parties of friends and
families, enjoying each other's company. One such
tradition was started in Tagores Shantiniketan,
where Hol is celebrated as Basant Utsav- the
festival of spring. People gather in the environs
of Shantiniketan, singing songs of devotion,
burning fragrant sticks, and offering their
teachers flowers as a token of respect. Folk
music and food are also enjoyed in Shantiniketan
during Basant Utsav, filling the ambiance with
laughter and joy. The watercolor on canvas
painting here is a depiction of the Shantiniketan
Basant Utsav or Holi, where participants wear a
joyous yellow as a celebration of the arrival of
Vasant or spring and smear each other with
Gulal. The joys and traditions around Holi in
India are unending. Each year, the festival comes
with a promise of a new harvest, happiness, and
abundance, with blessings of gods and the warmth
of family. As people gather around, everything
bad about the past year is forgotten and they
focus on the present and future, filling it with
the colors of Gulal and the sweetness of Gujiya.
Much like Indian folk songs of Holi, Indian
paintings for a long time have been the treasure
trove of different ways in which we welcome the
festival, making them the perfect window into the
flamboyant festivity of Holi. RELATED ITEMS
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