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pichwais splendidly tell the story of Lord Krishna’s life.

FINER DETAILS Pichwai works on display at NGMA.

One is talking here about Pichwai painters, some of whose works are on display at the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi. Pichwai is a long cloth hanging placed behind the images of Lord Krishna, or Shrinathji as locally known, in the temples of Nathwara in Mathura.

Unlike other temples, in Nathwara, the time for darshana of the Bal Krishna is preset. The timings are slotted into eight parts of the day, defined as mangal darshan, which is very brief, for Krishna is assumed to be drowsy, followed by shringara, going to the fields as a gvala to graze his cows, then partaking of rajbogh or his midday meal, utthapana or a three-hour afternoon sleep, then bhoga, his afternoon meal, sandhya aarti when he returns home from the fields at twilight, and finally, shyama or bed time when he is lulled to sleep. All these activities of Krishna and more are brought alive on these pichwais. On view till this Sunday, these huge textile pieces are brought together by the collaborative efforts of NGMA and TAPI (Textile and Art of the People of India) collection of Surat.

Titled “In Adoration of Krishna: Pichwai of Shrinathji”, the exhibition features amazing mural work on painted and dyed cloth They are woven, brocaded, embroidered, printed and even made in English lace. Curated by M. Parsai, the exhibition, interestingly traces the roots of the art back to 300 years ago. These pichawai artists’ major source of inspiration was ‘padas’ composed by a gifted poet of the times namely, Ashtachappa. Such was his description of the life of Lord Krishna in his compositions that the artistically inclined, illiterate villagers started imaging them on material that would last. For instance, a cloth, which, after completion would be treated as sacred.

Hence, pichwais are a splendid tell-tale of Lord Krishna’s life. Be it raas leela, , daan leela, the plan of the Shrinathji temple, Janamashtami, kamal van or jal vihar (a moist lotus for Krishna where he sits to escape from the sweltering heat), they have it all. One needs more than a glimpse to appreciate the detailing in each work.

For instance, in ‘Vraj Yatra’, the entire Braj region where Krishna lived has been carved on a single piece of cloth wherein every space has its own identity. Clusters of palaces or small houses at various corners withcourtiers and attendants, a swimming pool for the Lord, a raas leela in progression, rangoli making, meditation, gyan daan, women huddled together and talking in a palace, monkeys guarding the palace and several such featuresgive a complete picture without one element running into the other.

Worth a visit.

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