Picturesque Portrayals

Pooja Singhal’s love of Pichvai paintings is not marked by any desire to preserve the art form in its pristine purity – she tells Manjula lal she would rather it takes on new avatars

- Manjula lal

Whenever art-lovers look for a Pichvai painting in Rajasthan, they aspire to find an ‘original’ piece from Nathdwara. Their quest often leads to them to ‘antiqued’ pieces painted recently but given a make over to make them look older, at the be hest of unscrupulous middlemen out to make a quick buck. “That’s the mindset I want to change,” says Pooja Singhal, who is reviving the ancient art under the label ‘Pichvai Tradition & Beyond’.

‘Beyond’ is an important word in her branding — for a crucial part of her approach to creating paintings in this 16th century genre (sometimes spelt ‘Pichhwai’) is innovation and sometimes despiritualisation. Traditional Pichvais, beloved of both devotees and art connoisseurs, have Lord Krishna in his Srinathji avatar as the centerpiece. The idol is the presiding deity at Nathdwara temple in the Aravalli hills, on the banks of the Banas river in Rajasamund district of the desert state. It is a popular place of pilgrimage, especially during Holi and Janmashtami.