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The famous 'Bani Thani' painting belongs to which state?
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Answer: Option B — Rajasthan
Detailed Solution
"Bani Thani" is the most famous painting of the Kishangarh school of Rajasthani (Rajput) painting. Kishangarh is a small former princely state in Ajmer district, Rajasthan.
About the painting:
It was painted around 1750-1760 by the artist Nihal Chand, the leading painter of the Kishangarh court.
It was made under the patronage of Raja Savant Singh (1748-1764) of Kishangarh, who was also a poet and wrote under the pen name "Nagari Das". He was a devoted follower of Lord Krishna.
"Bani Thani" ("the well-dressed lady") was a singer and poetess at the court with whom Savant Singh fell in love. She is believed to be the model for the painting, and she is portrayed as Radha.
The painting shows a woman in profile, with a long, curved face, a high forehead, an elongated, lotus-petal-shaped eye with a sharp curve, arched eyebrows, a pointed nose and chin, thin lips, and a long neck.
Because of its grace and mystery, Bani Thani is often called the "Mona Lisa of India". The Government of India issued a postage stamp on it in 1973.
The Kishangarh style is known for these elongated, stylised faces, and for paintings of Radha and Krishna set in lush landscapes with lakes and palaces.
Other schools of Rajasthani painting:
- Mewar (Udaipur): one of the oldest, known for "Ragamala" paintings and Sahibdin.
- Bundi and Kota: known for hunting scenes and lush greenery.
- Marwar (Jodhpur), Jaipur (Amber) and Bikaner schools.
- Nathdwara: known for "Pichhwai" paintings of Shrinathji.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Himachal Pradesh has the Pahari schools such as Kangra and Basohli.
- ✗Gujarat is known for Jain manuscript paintings.
- ✗Bihar is known for Madhubani and Patna Kalam.
Quick tip
Remember: Bani Thani = Kishangarh school (Rajasthan), Nihal Chand, Raja Savant Singh (Nagari Das), "Mona Lisa of India", stamp 1973.
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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.