Jammu & Kashmir

14 paintings

It is more than just its position on the map that brings the state of Jammu and Kashmir the metaphor 'the crown of India'. Breathtaking landscapes abound in the state, spellbinding with their ethereal charm, leaving one hungry for more, be it the Jammu region, the Kashmir valley or Ladakh. Nestling proud amidst the Himalayas, the state enjoys a coveted place second to none.The very fact that it overwhelms with its ethereal charms, has seen the region lie at the end of the aspirations and conquests of many--the Mauryas, the Kushanas, the Persians, the Afghans, the Mughals, and the Sikhs, to name a few. Each bringing in its wake, lasting influences, each lending a distinct touch to the vast canvas, by way of architecture, art-craft, religion and culture, leaving it even richer. The art and architecture of the region, therefore, is 'just the right blend' of the native and the foreign flavours.Jammu is known for its temples (also called 'city of temples') and expresses its artistic prowess through marvelous miniature art--the miniatures of Basohli, and the Bauli art, which has more of a local/folk flavour, and is strewn around the walls of temples and village homes. Dogri music and dance too (like Dogra-Pahari art from this land of Dogras), play a part of their own, bringing out, and at the same time, preserving the local flavour of the life there.It is Kashmir and Ladakh that mainly add an immense wealth of hand crafted products to its legacy, with Kashmir taking the lead.'The land of chinars' (maple) can well be among the various epithets that characterize Kashmir. The proud Chinars that punctuate Kashmir's verdant landscape, lend ample colour to it. And they do not stop here. They filter through right into the very essence of kashmiri art and craft--the chinar leaves finding their way into the intricate themes and patterns, be it the embroidery, the wood carving, the copper/brass/silver ware, the weaving...you name it! Seen carelessly strewn also, with daisies and iris and lotuses and narcissus and so on, Kashmir manifests an echo of all these in their essentially floral patterns that adorn its crafts.