Basholi: Better known as the Pahari style because of its origins in the princely state of Jammu, the paintings are distinctive for fusing elements of religious art and folk tradition. Backgrounds are usually flat, except for a few trees and architectural pavilions of the early Mughal era. The horizon is placed high and the sky becomes a narrow blue strip, flecked with white clouds.

In Basholi miniatures, figures are tall and slim and set against bright colours such as red, yellow, blue and orange. Features are sharply defined with a high, prominent nose, a receding forehead and lotus-shaped eyes. The women wear either Rajasthani ghagras and cholis, with an odhni at times, or else, Mughal-type pyjamas, bodice and a long overgarment of thin material.

Kulu: A variation of the Basholi style, it has the same lively colours, dress and hairstyles. Conventional trees and the flat background also persist. But figures sport a thick-set appearance and there is less order in the composition. In general, Kulu miniatures lack sophistication and draw more heavily on folk elements than their Basholi counterparts.

Kangra: Originating from the Kangra valley in Himachal Pradesh, this style in known for its fluid lines and adherence to romantic, religious and royal themes. The focal point of paintings is always the female face — straight nose, narrow carved eyes and frail physique. The artists clothed her in a look of modesty with great charm and delicacy.

The gracefulness of figures is further emphasised by juxtapositions of stiff architectural forms of white marble, punctuated with birds, snakes, clouds, sunset and lightning. The colours used are yellow, green, pink, grey, white, mauve and orange. The paintings are imbued with a dream-like quality, inspired from the land of hills.

Bundi: Lush landscapes, vibrant colours and lotus ponds, fish and birds are the main distinguishing features of this school of miniature painting. Women are shown as small-breasted and round- faced with thrusting noses and receding chins.

Kishangarh: This style is distinctive for its fine brushwork and prominence given to the features of women’s faces — the elongated, heavy-lidded eyes and curved eyebrows, pointed nose and long neck. Inspired by Bani Thani, a beautiful slave girl in the palace of Raja Savant Singh, the paintings are most commonly reproduced in greeting cards, calendars and art mementos.

Then there are the rather obscure, but no less significant styles that have regional roots. For instance, the eastern parts of the country, like Bihar and Bengal fostered a style (that can be traced back to the Pala dynasty) representing scenes from Lord Buddha’s life. Likewise in western India, a different style of religious painting developed, used primarily to illustrate Jain manuscripts. MF