The Egmore Government Museum is conducting a week-long exhibition on Kangra paintings depicting Krishna and Radha.
The Kangra art orginated at Guler a small hill state in the lower Himalayas in the first half of the 18th Century when a family of Kashmiri painters trained in Mughal paintings style sought shelter at the court of Raja Dalip Singh (1695-1741) of Guler. The rise of Guler paintings started in what is known as the early phase of Kangra Kalam. The new arrivals mingled with the local artists and were greatly influenced by the atmosphere of the hills.
This style reached its zenith during the region of Maharaja Sansar Chand Kotch (1776- 1824), who was a great patron of Kangra art. The subject seen in Kangra paintings exhibit the taste and the traits of the life style of the society of that period.
The painting which displayed in the exhibition has a river shown in the ‘U’ shape and a lush grove with may trees. Climbers also found.The flowers are in white, yellow and red hues. In the middle of the this grove Krishna and Radha are seated in cross legged with heads turned to each other.
The exhibition will continue till March 17.