Royal canvas at Kota railway station brings fame to dedicated practitioners of a dying art
KOTA-BUNDI PAINTINGS PLAYED A CRUCIAL ROLE IN FETCHING THIRD RANK
FOR THE RAILWAY STATION IN 2018
KOTA: It’s a tribute to the fading Kota-Bundi school of paintings. Paintings depicting royal hunting scenes, processions, court sessions, Radha-Krishna courtship rituals are among a few that adorn the walls of the Kota railway station. With the number of quality artists practising this school of painting, famous for its meticulous detailing work, on the decline due to lack of enough support, a public display of these creations assumes significance.
Fifty-six-year-old Mohammad Luqman, whose paintings beautify the railway station walls is one of the last few exponents of Kota-Bundi style of paintings. He learned the art from his father Mohammad Usman a renowned artist in Kota-Bundi style of paintings Luqman’s daughter who learnt the art from her father gave up practising after her marriage as the art was time consuming and she could not take enough time to look after her daughter. The paintings played a crucial role in fetching third rank for the railway station in the country for it s art work in the annual cleanliness contest conducted by the Indian railways in 2018.
“It is not that there are no lovers for this art form,’ says Luqman.
“Industrialist Neeta Ambani has been buying Kota-Bundi style of paintings from me from 7-8 years due to her fondness for the art form but there is no support to the art from anywhere else”, claimed Luqman who has received state award from Rajasthan government for his art work.
Now around 4 students of Luqman and his brother Mohammad Irfan are making the Kota-Bundi style of paintings. Most of the paintings are sold for just a few hundred rupees.
Luqman says that there were many families of artists in Kota earlier who were involved in making Kota-Bundi style of painting on cloth, paper or walls of forts, palaces and temples of Kota but now many have left the work and switched to other jobs.
Bhagwan Das Begri (72) is another Kota-Bundi artist who gave up the painting style due to low earnings.
“I left drawing Kota-Bundi style of paintings a decade ago as it was time consuming, involving a lot of detailing and the earnings were less,” said Begri.
He said it was difficult to earn sufficient livelihood from KotaBundi style of paintings as people started relying on artists who imitate Kota-Bundi style without eye for quality and detailing work shown by traditional artists for a lesser price.
Akhilesh Begri (50), a family of traditional Kota-Bundi artists have now switched to artwork on glass.
According to Begri there is neither patronage for the art from the government nor market for the artwork. He said local artists sell their paintings to traders of other cities but there is no local market in Kota for these paintings. There are paintings of Kota-Bundi style of paintings in forts and palaces but there are no shops in the city or near heritage buildings where artists can sell their paintings.
“If government develops a dedicated market for the art then foreign and domestic tourists can buy the paintings so that they can get their due share”, said Akhilesh.
“While earlier there were over 50 artists of Kota-Bundi style of paintings in the city now the numbers have come down to not more than half a dozen artists”, said Luqman.
“The state government around 8 years ago had started a project whereby budding students of fine arts were sent to me for teaching them this art. I also used to get remuneration.
The scheme was later discontinued,” adds Luqman. Academicians of fine art also echo the sentiment expressed by these artists.
Shalini Bharti, head of the department, drawing and painting, government college Kota says “Kota-Bundi style of painting is moving towards a gradual death as the artists are inclined more towards contemporary art and leaving traditional work”.
“There is no support for KotaBundi style of paintings, from anywhere including the goverment,” he (OR SHE?) said.
Rated among the rich art and cultural tradition of the desert State, Kota-Bundi style of paintings holds a special place in the art museums of the country and the world.
The Kota-Bundi style of paintings made their debut in the year 1625 (AD) during the reign of Rao Ratan Singh.
The 18th century Chitrashala in the Garh Palace in Bundi also provides a glimpse into the history of Bundi style of paintings. The walls and ceilings of the Chitrashala carries the KotaBundi style of paintings.
WHAT IS KOTA BUNDI PAINTING
These are miniature paintings drawn using delicate brushwork and full of detailing. Kota-Bundi style of paintings are among the 4 different schools of paintings including Dhoondar style of painting, Marwar school of paintings and Mewar school of Painting.
These paintings are created using natural colours which are made from vegetables and minerals including stones.
Rajput and Mughal influence is clearly evident in the KotaBundi style of paintings.