Ajanta paintings

• While decorative motifs adorn the ceilings and pillars, the core themes of these murals are predominantly Buddhist, reflecting spiritual and religious narratives of the era.
• They are mostly connected to the Jataka, a collection of tales that describes the Lord Buddha’s earlier lives.

Notable specimens

• The earliest paintings at Ajanta are found in cave No. IX and X, and the only one that has survived is a group on cave X’s left wall. This shows a king and his courtiers in front of a flag-draped tree. The King has travelled to the revered Bodhi tree in order to fulfil a vow made to the prince who is present and close to the king.
• One of the masterpieces of Ajanta Painting created in the late 6th century CE is the painting of the Bodhisattva Padmapani from cave I. This magnificently decorated figure is larger than life-size and is depicted pausing slightly while holding a lotus flower in his right hand.
• The painting of Maya Devi, the Buddha’s mother, is a lovely representation of female beauty.

Bagh cave Paintings

• The Ajanta paintings in caves No. I and II match those from the Bagh caves in Madhya Pradesh.
• Both figures share the same form stylistically, but Bagh figures have stronger outlines and are more precisely modelled.
• Compared to those at Ajanta, they are more earthy and human.
• The fragments discovered in Badami Cave No. III, dating to the 6th century A.D., are the earliest Brahmanical paintings that are currently known.
• The Siva and Parvati painting is found to be reasonably well-preserved.
• Although the technique is similar to that of Ajanta and Bagh, the modelling is much more expressive and sensitive in texture, and the outline is flexible and soft.
• The finest examples of the North Indian and Deccan classical traditions can be found in the paintings from Ajanta, Bagh, and Badami.
• These paintings have darkly drawn contours that stand out against a light red background.

Ellora Paintings

• Between the 8th and 10th centuries A.D., a number of Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain temples were carved out of Ellora’s living rock.
• 34 caves total, including 17 Brahmanical, 12 Buddhist, and 5 Jain, are found in the Sahyadri ranges of Maharashtra, about 100 km from Ajanta caves.
• Indra Sabha (Cave 32) and Jagannath Sabha are two well-known Jain caves (Cave 33).
• Sharp features and pointed noises characterize sinewy figures.

Badami cave paintings

• The early Chalukyan dynasty, which ruled the area from 543 to 598 CE was centred in Badami.
• The dedication of the image of Vishnu is included in the inscription in Cave No. 4, which also mentions the years 578 and 579 CE and praises the beauty of the cave.
• This cave has paintings that show scenes from palaces. One depicts Kirtivarman, the elder brother of Mangalesha and the son of Pulakesin I, sitting inside the palace with his wife and feudatories while viewing a dance scene.
• The paintings here have a similar aesthetic to those in Ajanta.
• The fluid forms, sinuously drawn lines, and compact composition demonstrate the artists’ skill and maturity by the sixth century CE.

Sittanavasal Paintings

• These paintings feature a variety of subjects, such as animals, fish, ducks, people collecting lotuses from a pond, two dancing figures, etc. In addition, one can discover inscriptions from the 9th and 10th centuries, with Jainism serving as their primary source of inspiration.

Pandyas Paintings

• Jains texts, female figures, etc. Fresco-secco technique. Eg: Armamalai cave paintings.

Pallavas Paintings

• Beautiful lotus ponds and flowers, dancing people, lilies, fish, geese, buffaloes, and elephants are all present. A rounded face and wide, fully opened eyes. Eg: Kanchipuram Temple Paintings are patronized by Rajasimha.

Chola paintings

• The paintings celebrate Lord Shiva.

Vijayanagara Paintings

• The works of art depict the Vijayanagara Court’s history and times. Paintings from a secular era decorate the walls of Lepakshi Temple. Eg: Virupaksha Temple, Hampi – consists of the history of the dynasty and stories of Ramayana and Mahabharatha.

Nayaka Paintings

• It is the extension of Vijayanagara paintings. Depicting the story of Mucukunds, a legendary Chola King.

Kerala Murals Paintings

• Inspired by Kathakali and Kalam Ezhuthu. The theme is mostly based on Hindu mythology. Eg: Vadakkunnathan temple, Thrissur, Padmanabhapuram palace, Trivandrum.