Painting as an art form has flourished in India from very early periods as is evident from literary sources and also from the remnants that have been discovered. Pictographs scratched on rock shelters in red & yellow ochre represent the earliest formidable examples of Indian painting. The urge of humans to capture & preserve the emotion born out of visualising a spectacle, led to more & more wonderful creations. Paintings on pots as early as the 3rd century B.C as evident from the Indus Valley Civilisation, the cave paintings of Ajanta & Ellora using earth & vegetable dyes during the I century to 5th century A.D., the wall paintings on Brahadeeswara temple in Thanjavur from 1st century A.D. and the Kalamkari art forms as seen in the Vidharba temple in Lepakshi bring out the advancement in techniques and refinement in the process.

Decoration of the floor in geometric fashions, to narrate sequences of mythology on the walls of houses or buildings are the lesser known or acknowledged aspects of Indian traditional painting.Ajanta Caves, the Bagh Caves, the Badani Caves, the Ellora Caves, the Kailasanatha Temple, the Talagirisvara Temple, the Jain Caves, the Brahadiswara Temple, the Virupasaka Temple, Virabadra Temple and the Jain Temple are some of the places where sufficient remnants of murals from ancient periods have survived.

Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Gujarat, Mandu, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jammu, Kulu, Kangra Rajasthani, Rajput, Buddhist dieties, Jaina forms, tales of Sri Rama, Krishna(the everlasting lover with his cohourts), court & royal scenes were the subject matter of the miniature paintings from the various regions. These paintings were replete with motifs of flora & fauna in bold and striking colours, dresses of ladies in various patterns, wonderfully coloured turbans of men. Vegetable dyes and derivatives from nature were used in all the forms of miniature paintings.

Tanjavur or modern Tanjore is famous for a special style of decorating the paintings which were done both on glass & board. In both types, the figures & the background are richly embellished with gold leaf & gems as ornaments. The relief work on board is achieved by applying gesso, a mixture of gypsum or plaster of Paris & glue. Krishna in various poses has been the main theme, but there are also various paintings in temples , of all the other Gods & Saints.

PAINTINGS IN AJANTHA & ELLORA CAVES

Traditional Painting	Traditional Craft	Contemporary Arts	Architecture
Classical Dance	Classical Music	Folk Music	Theatre

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