Morkuti Pichhavai -Details

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.

Wide varieties of Pichhavai paintings are used in the temple based on the occasions and seasons. The Morkuti (monsoon) Pichwai, depicts dancing peacocks and is associated with the rainy season. In this textile, twelve peacocks dance in alternating rows between peahens. The scattered peahens are shown in white colour. Three of the dancing peacocks are drawn in white colour. The whole painting stands out on a mineral red background. The peacock body with dark blue and bottle green feathers highlighted with yellow ochre represents the detailed artist’s impression.