If you are a lover of Indian art and want to see the best form of paintings then there is no doubt that cave paintings of Bhim Betka comes on  the top. It is an archaeological as well as a World Heritage Site. The rock shelters of Bhim Betka provide an exhibition of the earliest Indian art associated with the life of human beings. The heritage site boasts Stone Age rock paintings, which are nearly 9000 years old. The name Bhim Betka is derived from the mythological association of the place with Bhima, one of the Pandavas. It is very interesting to look at the history of this great example of Indian art.

Bhim Betka was initially described as a Buddhist site in the year 1888. Later it was discovered that some rock formations that are very similar to Spain and France. After some visits by a group of archaeologists, they found traces of prehistoric rock. After that nearly 700 shelters have been recognized. After that a series of studies performed which revealed a continuous sequence of Stone Age cultures.

It is amazing to know such a long time has not been able to change the look and beauty of the paintings and they remain the same as if they were designed 1-2 years ago. Archaeologists have traced out some interesting things which include the recorded scenes of everyday lives and culture of people who lived in the rocks. Interestingly, the paintings will show before you the whole range of time, right from Paleolithic age to medieval period. These paintings which represent the everyday life of human beings have provided a lot of guidance to the archaeologists and help them to keep a track of the progression of the human life throughout the ages.

There are seven different periods under which Bhim Betka paintings can be classified. The first period is mainly marked by straight representations of huge animals figures such as bison, tigers etc. In the last medieval period more geometric, linear and schematic shapes can be noticed. Cave dwellers used soft red stone and wooden coal for the making of colors. Also it is found that animal fats and extracts were used in mixtures. The main reason for the colors to remain intact for a long time is the chemical reaction resulting from the presence of oxide on the rock surface.

Indian Painting reflects the glorious culture and heritage of India into incredible variety of colors and styles. Painting in India is a long practiced tradition. This creative form of art inspired generations of artists as their passion or profession.

Indian painting has adopted variety of techniques and styles in its journey to the world of arts. The new techniques and innovations have made it more enriched and versatile. Indian paintings are invaluable visual records of history. We can delve deeper into the periods of history through these indelible pieces of arts. Celebrate the true spirit of India with the potpourri of Indian paintings from the house of ethnic paintings.

Painting was practiced in India from the pre historic times. Various scenes of animal hunting and tribal wars were sculptured in the rocks and caves that came to be known as cave painting. The rock paintings of Bhimbekta are said to be the most archaic of the Indian paintings (5000B.C). The cave paintings of the Ajanta and Ellora are the modified versions of Bhimbekta. A combination of murals and frescos, the paintings spellbind with their aestheticism, meticulousness and workmanship.

The tenets of Indian painting and the various earlier forms of the art are to found in books like ‘Mudraskshaka’, ‘Vishnudharmottara’ and ‘Vinayapitaka’.

The Indian painting has several styles of paintings under its domain. Miniature Paintings are one of the most popular among them. Beautiful images from the epics and mythologies, idols of Hindu gods and goddesses and royal court scenes were depicted on pieces of glass, paper, marble, silk and leather in these paintings.

The paintings were highly appreciated for their rich colors and dazzling effects. The Rajput School of Miniature Paintings, The Deccan School of Miniature Paintings and The Mughal School of Miniature Paintings are sequels to original miniature paintings.

Thangka Paintings are form of Buddhist arts that were imbibed from the Buddhist missionaries of Tibet during the time of emperor Ashoka. The word ‘thangka’ is a Tibetan word meaning paintings on flat surfaces. Thangka paintings were laid out on silk and cotton materials. They could be folded in and rolled out according to the necessity.

Used as scrolls the various thanka paintings find Buddha and Bodhisattva in various meditative postures. ‘Buddha Mandala’, ‘Shakyamuni Buddha’and ‘Maitreye Buddha’ are some popular images that are figured in the paintings. The paintings inspire us to awaken our true spiritual self.

Madhubani Paintings are the exclusive paintings of the ‘Mithila’ region of Bihar. The rural women of ‘Mithila’ used to carve out their aspirations and imaginations in their mud built doors and walls. These came to be known as ‘Madhubani Paintings’. A charming folk art, the humble paintings now adorn the art galleries and cozy domestic interiors. Warli Paintings bring out the customs, beliefs and the lifestyle of the tribal people of Maharastra in bright colors and designs. ‘Pata Chitra’ is the traditional painting form of Orissa.

Deities of Hindu gods and goddesses and mythological figures are portrayed on large sheets of fabrics in this painting. Modern Indian Painting reflects India in the post-colonial era. The paintings can be perceived in the works of Jamini Roy, Mukbul Fida Hussain, S.K Bakre and S.H Raza.

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Traditional paintings light up villages of eastern Indian state
Characterized by vibrant use of color, underlying symbolism and traditional geometric patterns supporting the main theme, the Indian folk art form of Madhubani painting is fast creating a place for itself in the international house of fame.

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The art, culture and lifestyle of ancient and medieval India is best reveled through miniature paintings. The penchant for religion, divinity and regal aristocracy is ostentatiously illustrated in these paintings. Though miniature in form, the paintings had an innate beauty and distinctiveness that made them stand out of the crowd.

Crafted by the regional artists these form of paintings narrate the stories of the bygone dynasties. Purely a brush work, these vibrant handmade paintings were the outcome of some dazzling minerals and vegetable colors. Gold and silver powders, conch shell powders and tiny pieces of semi precious stones were used in a miniature painting to make for the extra glow. It is for this luminous capacity, meticulousness and the universal appeal the paintings are very popular even today.

The themes of the miniature paintings were generally taken from the scenes of Indian epics and religious books like The Ramayana, The Mahabharata, The Bhagvata Purana, Git-gobinda, Surasagar, Rasamanjiri and more. Images from folk legends, classical music codes and royal court scenes were also beautifully illustrated in the paintings. Glass, fabric, marble, paper, silk, velvet, leather and ivory panels generally served as the canvas for the paintings.

This rare form of painting gave birth to some noted school of paintings namely The Deccan Schools, The Rajput and the Mughal Schools.

The Rajput School of Miniature Painting imbibed inspiration from the Krishna legends. The emphasis was more on the man and woman relationship and paintings were aesthetic portrayal of their emotion, love and passion. The lovemaking scenes of Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha are some of the finest specimens of the paintings. The Mughal School of Miniature Painting had Persian influence on them.

The painters focused mostly on court scenes, royal portraits, natural scenes and landscapes. The Deccan School of Miniature Painting derived a kind of hybrid painting form blending several styles of painting. The paintings manifested exuberant and bold themes influenced from Turkish and Persian paintings.

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Glass paintings turn plain sheets of glasses into marvelous pieces of art. Glass paintings are rare finesses and cherished legacies of the remarkable artworks of the past. Also coined as glass engravings, the paintings on glass overwhelmed with their refined beauty, mystical luminosity, enrichment of colors and meticulousness. Possibly an outcome of the Renaissance Movement in Italy, glass paintings became popular all over the world. They were transported to India at the turn of the eighteenth century. The Indian painters imbibed this new form of painting from the Chinese immigrants who settled in coastal India during this time. These paintings adored the interiors of the elites and royal families. India-crafts.com one of the most well known portals for arts and crafts in India has treasured this traditional form of art in the most impressive way. Learn about glass paintings and get amazed visualizing the collection of these paintings. Just spare a minute to click on the site and see how the magic unveils.

The state of Gujarat is said to be the precursor of Glass Painting in India. Later on the art flourished in the regions of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Rajasthan, Mysore, Andhra Pradesh, Mumbai, Hyderabad, West Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. The themes had regional diversifications. They were imbibed from the folklore, religious books and from the great Indian epics -The Ramayana and The Mahabharata. European themes can be viewed in some works. Pictures of Hindu gods and goddesses, their romantic pursuits, images from the mythological stories, natural sceneries, animal images and portraits of the kings and royal ladies were also used as the theme for the paintings.

The glass paintings were laid down on Belgium glasses imported from Belgium and England. The technique of painting was unique. Beautiful images were outlined on the opposite side of a glass. Bright colors were applied to paint the images. The colors were made to dry and permanently fix to the glass by the aid of proper heating techniques. Finally the paintings were embellished with semi-precious stones; gold and silver powders and glitters to create a luminous effect. The paintings dazzled in proper effect of lighting. A glorious painting of the bygone era, glass painting has retained its place in the modern households as exotic showpieces and wall decorations.

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