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Phad paintings, a form of scroll painting depicting folk deities such as Pabuji and Devnarayan, are famous in:
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Answer: Option D — Rajasthan
Detailed Solution
Phad painting is a traditional style of religious scroll painting from Rajasthan. "Phad" refers to a long piece of cloth, usually about 15 to 30 feet long and about 5 feet wide, on which the painting is made. The art is especially associated with the town of Shahpura in the Bhilwara district of Rajasthan, and with the Joshi family of painters, who have practised it for generations.
Phad paintings serve as portable temples. They depict the life stories and heroic deeds of local folk deities, especially:
Pabuji: a 14th-century Rathore Rajput hero worshipped as a deity by the Rebari (Raika) camel herders, who is believed to protect camels and cattle.
Devnarayan (Dev Narayan): a deity worshipped by the Gurjar (Gujjar) community, considered an incarnation of Vishnu.
The phads are carried from village to village by priest-singers called "Bhopas" and their wives, "Bhopis". At night, the scroll is unrolled and lit with an oil lamp, and the Bhopa sings and narrates the epic story (the "par" or "phad vachan") while pointing to the relevant scenes, accompanied by a musical instrument called the "ravanhatta" (a bowed string instrument). These performances can last the whole night and are part of community rituals and celebrations.
Features of Phad painting:
- Bright natural colours, especially yellow, red, orange, green and blue, made from minerals and plants.
- Bold outlines and flat figures, with large-sized main characters (the deity) at the centre and smaller figures around.
- The whole story is painted on one cloth, divided into many scenes.
- Faces are usually shown in profile, with large eyes.
The painter Shree Lal Joshi, who modernised and popularised Phad art, received the Padma Shri in 2006. Phad painting has a GI tag. The Phad painting of Devnarayan appeared on an Indian postage stamp in 1992.
Other famous art forms of Rajasthan:
- Miniature paintings of the Rajput schools: Mewar, Kishangarh (Bani Thani), Bundi, Kota, Marwar and Jaipur.
- Pichwai paintings of Nathdwara, depicting Lord Shrinathji (Krishna).
- Blue pottery of Jaipur, bandhani (tie-dye) and block printing (Sanganeri and Bagru).
Why not the other options?
- ✗Gujarat is known for Pithora paintings and Rogan art.
- ✗West Bengal is known for Kalighat paintings and Patachitra.
- ✗Kerala is known for mural paintings.
Quick tip
Remember: Phad = Rajasthan (Shahpura, Bhilwara), scrolls of Pabuji and Devnarayan, narrated by Bhopas with the ravanhatta; Pichwai = Nathdwara (Shrinathji); Bani Thani = Kishangarh school.
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Paintings, Crafts, Dress & Tribes — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Paintings, Crafts, Dress & Tribes, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers India's traditional painting styles (such as Madhubani, Warli, Pattachitra, Kalamkari, Gond and Tanjore), handicrafts and textiles, traditional dresses, and the major tribes of each state and their customs. It also includes Geographical Indication (GI) tags given to crafts and products. Questions usually ask which state a painting or craft belongs to, which tribe lives in a region, or what a traditional dress is called. Warli belongs to Maharashtra, Madhubani to Bihar, Pattachitra to Odisha and West Bengal, and Gond art to Madhya Pradesh. Grouping tribes by state, and noting the largest tribe of key states (such as the Bhils and the Santhals), helps with elimination. Practise the paintings, crafts and tribes questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.