Morkuti Pichhavai -Installation

The Pichhavai is a genre of textiles associated with the Hindu God Krishna. Here, the monsoon is represented through peacocks — aside from the intricacy of details in the painting, what is noteworthy is the balance achieved in the composition of three white peacocks with the blue, against the stark red of the ground. In several hand painted narrative traditions of Indian textiles which show religious iconography, the Visvakarma commissions considered the removal of the direct representation of the central icon as providing a required direction for their future. These could then be used to portray a range of non-religious, decorative themes which could be relevant far beyond their usual markets of religious devotees. Despite such intentions, with the artists who worked on such commissions being from family lineages who practised the arts in close proximity to worship, the devotional sentiment comes through. It is, as if, the absence of the religious figures only reinforces their presence, in a powerful, aniconic way.

The Pichhavai hand paintings are known for their unique style of motifs and vibrant colours. Nathdwara, Rajasthan, known for its tradition of painting and visual culture, is the centre of Pichhavai paintings. The word Pichhavai in Sanskrit means ‘hangs from the back’. These paintings hung behind the idol of Shrinathji at Nathdwara, a local form of Krishna. The purpose of Pichhavai, other than its artistic appeal, is to narrate tales of Krishna to the illiterate. The Pichhavai paintings are best remembered for their vibrant blues, greens, bright reds, and oranges. Pichhavai paintings are typically created on heavy cotton canvas cloth, and the colours are traditionally derived from natural resources. In recent times, however, synthetic colours have also been used.