Rare Basohli paintings displayed on World Heritage Day at Jammu museum

Jammu, Apr 18 (PTI) On World Heritage Day, the Jammu and Kashmir government showcased hundreds of rare and ancient Basohli paintings at a museum here in a bid to popularise this 17th-century miniature art.

Several people visited the Dogra Art Museum on Tuesday to see the paintings. A live demonstration on how to make Basohli paintings by artist Dheeraj Kapoor attracted hundreds of visitors, particularly children.

The Basohli paintings from Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district has obtained the Geographical Indication (GI) tag following an approval by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) on April 3.

The GI tag to a product, goods or specialty grants legal protection to the original producers and prevents their unauthorised use by third parties. It also boosts exports, promotes the goods at the international level and brings economic prosperity to producers and stakeholders.

Vikas Gupta, director, handicraft and handlooms department, said the GI tag will give a fillip to the Basohli painting industry, help artisans get better returns and also create a brand value for their products.

“There is a need to save the heritage art. The department will register those who want to practice it and we will set up a common facility centre at Basohli to provide them all facilities under one roof,” Gupta told PTI.

“The main theme of today’s event is to highlight Basohli paintings,” he said.

Gupta said children and adults were informed about Basohli paintings.

During the exhibition, manuscripts, heritage photos, antiquities, instruments, rare books, and coins were also displayed at the museum at the Army Headquarters.

Pradeep Kumar, from the department of archives, archaeology and museum, said the main aim of the exhibition to make people aware about their culture and heritage.

“I have been making these paintings for 25 years,” said artist Dheeraj Kapoor.

Kapoor said at one point only a few artists were making Basohli paintings but students are now showing interest in these paintings.

“We are getting a huge response after the GI tag. Now children want to learn and be known as painters of Basohli art. It has revived the art in a big way,” he said.

Basohli paintings flourished in the Indian hill states during the late 17th and the 18th centuries. The art takes its name from Basohli, a town in the Jammu region.

This town is believed to be the cradle of various Pahari paintings. It gave birth to a unique style of miniature paintings that witnessed a fusion of mythology and traditional folk art.