Pichwai paintings are one of the most renowned folk art forms of India. These paintings are very intricate and detail-oriented. Pichwai comes from a Sanskrit word in which 'pich' stands for back and 'wai' stands for textile hanging. The paintings are famous for their incredible portrayal of stories from the life of Lord Krishna.
The Pichwai paintings are believed to have originated about 400 years ago from the Nathdwara town in the state of Rajasthan. Around 1400 A.D., an idol of Srinathji (Lord Krishna avatar as a 7-year-old) was discovered at a place near Udaipur, Rajasthan. Owing to its significance, the place became highly respected and seeing it as a divine intervention, the Nathdwara temple was built here by the Rajputs.
Pichwai artworks are painted in a miniature style and are quite colourful and fascinating. The main colors used are red, green, and yellow, among others. Pichwai painting requires extreme focus and great expertise on the part of the artist. The artist paints it with much accuracy and gives significant care to even the littlest detail in the canvases. To ensure this, artists make this painting by sitting on the floor in a fixed posture to minimize errors and create the most flawless artworks.
