One of the most ancient arts of India, phad paintings of Rajasthan can be traced back to more than 600 years, and continue to possess an appeal that is both ethereal as well as timeless. MARWAR talks to artist Vijay Joshi from Shahpura, whose family has been associated with phad painting since its inception, about the finer nuances of this alluring art and the family’s laudable efforts to preserve its traditional ethos.

Text: Neehar MishraPhotographs courtesy vijay joshi

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art

Phad: The artand the artist

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The vibrant multitude of traditional Indian art has, over a period, managed to transcend regional

boundaries to earn acclaim both within the country as well as worldwide. That Rajasthan is a storehouse of this carefully preserved and laboriously nurtured art is hardly a matter to be second-guessed, being home to popular forms like phad, pichwai and miniature painting. Phad paintings in particular form an integral part of Rajasthani folk culture. Named after ‘phad’, which refers to a long piece of cloth on which the painting is created, each painting represents a visual narrative of epic folktales, and is often accompanied by songs rendered by Rajasthani priest singers called bhopas.

Many artists have devoted their lives to ensure that the unique and invaluable phad painting gets its fair share of recognition in the world of art, while striving to retain its traditional aspects. Vijay Joshi of Shahpura is one such artist, whose talent and dedication to the art has won him many accolades, including the National Merit Award, 2003. “The origin of my paintings can be traced back to 600 years. The Shahpura School of phad painting was, in fact, initiated by my forefathers even before Shahpura emerged as a princely state of Rajasthan,” says Joshi with considerable pride. His father, Shanti Lal Joshi, also a renowned phad painter, was awarded the National Award in 1991. At least 13 other members of the Joshi family have been closely associated with the Shahpura School.

Facing page: Phad painting depicting Pabuji, a folk deity of Rajasthan Above: A painting of the Shahpura procession

For Joshi, the legacy of phad paintings passed down to him by his forefathers bears testimony to the evolution of the dynamic Indian culture. Depicting the advanced stage of the Rajput School of art, the Shahpura phad paintings are primarily based on mythological tales and anecdotes from the lives of various Hindu gods and goddesses such as Pabuji, Devnarayan, Ramdala (related to the Ramayana), Krishnadala (related to Krishna) and Mataji ka chandwa (a portrayal of Mother Goddess displayed at temples). Others represent important historical events like the invasion of Somnath Temple by Mahmud Ghaznavi, the battle of Haldighati, the jauhar (the Rajput tradition of self immolation by a wife to prevent being captured by the enemy) of Rani Padmini, the elopement of Sanyongita with Prithviraj Chauhan and the Gangor Sawari of Shahpura. “I also created a phad painting based on Amitabh Bachchan in 2005! At present, I am working on a piece which depicts the events of World War I,” adds Joshi, giving an insight into the more contemporary themes that have been adopted in the pantheon of this art.

A traditional Shahpura phad painting is created on handmade khadi cloth usually 5x16 feet or 5x30 feet, depending upon the subject matter to be depicted, although cotton, khadi silk and even canvas is used by artists these days. “All the products and techniques that we use for painting are homemade. The colours, too, are natural, prepared usually from stone,” says Joshi. The colour scheme, where red is the

dominant colour with hints of yellow and green, was determined by Joshi’s ancestors many years ago in tandem with the personality and appearance of characters as described in ancient texts, and remains to be in use even now.

Right from preparing the cloth and the colours to its completion, creating a phad painting is a highly conscientious process, entailing well-evolved aesthetic sensibilities, careful attention to detail, a rock-steady hand, and most importantly, oodles of patience. “The time it takes to create a painting from scratch depends on its size and area. For example, a painting of 5x16 feet takes at least 10 to 12 hours per day for four months to depict the details of the contents,” explains Joshi.

Left and below: Phad artists Shanti Lal Joshi and Vijay Joshi at work

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“A peculiar yet alluring depiction of themes in their entirety unfurling before the viewer with a graceful rhythm,

narrated through melodious songs sung by the bhopas, is what sets apart phad paintings from other

traditional art forms.”

A peculiar yet alluring depiction of themes in their entirety unfurling before the viewer with a graceful rhythm, narrated through melodious songs sung by the bhopas, is what sets apart phad paintings from other traditional art forms.

Joshi firmly believes that in order to preserve the precious legacy of phad paintings, merely practising the art is not enough. In the present scenario where many of the traditional Indian arts seem to be dying a slow death, inculcating interest and awareness among the masses becomes imperative.

Left: Another painting depicting the folk legend of Pabuji

Above: A Shahpura gangaur sawari painting

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“Apart from interacting with people during exhibitions, we have also been conducting seminars and workshops for art lovers and aspiring artists. I instruct them to apply new thoughts to this art, while taking care not to diminish its innate uniqueness and originality. We also provide students with relevant literature on the history of this art,” says Joshi.

Despite art forms like abstract painting and modern art making their way into the market, Joshi is confident that they cannot replace the Shahpura phad painting, which captures the essence of Indian cultural values like nothing else. Over the years, the Joshi family has managed to catch the

attention of many art lovers and has built a significant buyers’ base through the innumerable exhibitions that it has been a part of. “We get many opportunities to interact with people through our exhibitions held all over the world. The response we receive is the fuel that has kept us going all these years,” says Joshi. However, he does feel that the government needs to take greater initiative to provide artists a more commercially viable platform by promoting the art through awareness campaigns and sponsorship. Till then, it is thanks to the dedication of artists like Joshi and his family that the rich tradition of phad painting remains to be alive and thriving.