WALL PAINTINGS ON THE TEMPLES OF HIMACHAL

The foot-hills are painted in rich green shades; little higher up the mountains become brown tinged with the orange of the sun's rays, and finally are shown the snow covered peaks. The paintings of these mountains are so realistic that when one visits this temple, one finds almost similar mountainscape outside the temple as was painted by artists nearly a hundred and seventy years ago inside its precincts. The use of light yellow, orange, green, red and blue gives the effect of spring, the season of love which the patrons and artists wanted to portray." *

The Matha (monastery) at Damtal in the Nurpur tahsil of Kangra district contains some beautiful paintings more in the Mughal fashion. There are illustrations from the legends of Siva, Krishna and Rama along with other lesser deities. Krishna's dalliances as a young boy are depicted including one of Krishna holding aloft the Goverdhana hill. There is a remarkable painting of Krishna touching the feet of Radha seated on her bed as a Manini Nayika (a lover in temper). There are also some paintings of the Rama legend in which Sita figures.

"Scenes of Rama and Lakshmana looking sadly across an expanse of water perhaps refer to Sita's abduction. There are a few panels exhibiting Rama and Lakshmana making preparations for war and actually encouraging their armies in the fight with Ravana. Ravana is also depicted in one of his palaces in the company of his queen and princesses. Rama, Sita and Lakshmana, returning with their armies to Ayodhya after the period of exile, are also painted.

*Wall paintings of Western Himalayas by Dr.M.Seth (page51)

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