Indian Painting Schools and Classical Music — Mughal, Rajput, Hindustani, Carnatic

Indian art and music are regularly tested in Kerala PSC general knowledge sections. Key areas include painting schools, their patrons, and classical music traditions. Expect 1-3 questions per paper.

Indian Painting — Major Schools

1. Mughal School of Painting

Feature	Details
Period	16th-19th century
Founder	Humayun brought Persian painters Mir Sayyid Ali and Abdus Samad from Persia
Peak	Under Akbar and Jahangir
Style	Realistic, detailed, vivid colors, Persian influence blended with Indian traditions
Subjects	Court scenes, portraits, hunting, battles, nature, historical events
Key feature	Individual portraiture reached perfection under Jahangir

Ruler	Contribution to Painting
Humayun	Brought Persian artists; founded the school
Akbar	Established formal workshop (Kitabkhana); commissioned Hamzanama (1400 illustrations), Razmnama (Persian Mahabharata)
Jahangir	Greatest patron; excelled in naturalist painting (birds, flowers, animals); said he could identify painter by style; Mansur (“Nadir-ul-Asr” — Wonder of the Age) was his court painter
Shah Jahan	More formal and decorative; marble inlay work (Pietra Dura) emphasis
Aurangzeb	Declined due to his orthodox views; painters migrated to Rajput courts

Famous Mughal Painters

Painter	Known For
Abdus Samad	Persian master brought by Humayun; teacher
Daswanth	Hindu painter in Akbar’s court; illustrated Razmnama
Basawan	Master of composition; Akbar’s court
Mansur (Ustad Mansur)	Naturalist paintings; Jahangir gave him title “Nadir-ul-Asr”
Abu’l Hasan	Title “Nadir-uz-Zaman” from Jahangir
Bichitr	Painted famous Jahangir Preferring a Sufi Saint painting

2. Rajput School of Painting

Feature	Details
Period	16th-19th century
Region	Rajasthan courts (Mewar, Marwar, Bundi, Kishangarh, Jaipur)
Style	Bold colors, flat perspective, stylized figures, emotional and devotional themes
Subjects	Krishna Leela, Ragamala (musical modes illustrated), court scenes, love themes
Distinction from Mughal	More romantic and religious; less realistic; vibrant primary colors

Sub-school	Region	Key Feature
Mewar	Udaipur	Oldest Rajput school; bold, flat style
Bundi-Kota	Bundi/Kota	Lush nature scenes; hunting themes
Kishangarh	Kishangarh	Famous for Bani Thani painting (Indian Mona Lisa) by Nihal Chand
Marwar	Jodhpur	Court and equestrian paintings
Jaipur	Jaipur	Influenced by Mughal realism

3. Pahari School of Painting

Feature	Details
Period	17th-19th century
Region	Hill states of Himachal Pradesh and J&K (Basohli, Kangra, Guler, Chamba)
Origin	Mughal painters migrated to hill courts after Aurangzeb’s reign
Style	Lyrical, delicate, naturalistic landscapes, romantic themes
Subjects	Radha-Krishna love, Nayika-Nayaka (lover classifications), Ragamala, Gita Govinda

Sub-school	Key Feature
Basohli	Bold, intense colors; earliest Pahari style; geometric faces
Kangra	Most refined Pahari school; soft, lyrical; landscapes with Radha-Krishna; peak under Raja Sansar Chand
Guler	Transitional between Basohli and Kangra; naturalistic
Chamba	Rumal (handkerchief) paintings — embroidered textiles

4. Other Important Schools

School	Region	Key Feature
Deccan School	Golconda, Bijapur, Ahmednagar	Blend of Persian, Turkish, Indian; rich gold use; night scenes
Bengal School	Bengal (early 20th century)	Founded by Abanindranath Tagore; reaction against Western art; nationalist art movement; famous painting: Bharat Mata
Tanjore (Thanjavur) Painting	Tamil Nadu	Rich colors, gold foil, semi-precious stones; religious (Hindu gods); originated under Nayak rulers
Kerala Mural Painting	Kerala	Temple walls; vibrant natural pigments; Mattancherry Palace, Padmanabhapuram Palace; Krishnapuram Palace — Gajendra Moksham (largest single mural)
Madhubani (Mithila) Painting	Bihar	Folk art; geometric patterns, nature motifs; natural dyes; GI tag
Warli Painting	Maharashtra	Tribal art; white on mud-brown background; geometric human figures
Pattachitra	Odisha/West Bengal	Cloth-based scroll painting; mythological themes
Kalamkari	Andhra Pradesh (Srikalahasti, Machilipatnam)	Hand-painted or block-printed cotton textile; natural dyes
Pichwai	Rajasthan (Nathdwara)	Large cloth paintings behind Krishna idol; devotional

Indian Classical Music

Two Systems

Feature	Hindustani Music	Carnatic Music
Region	North India	South India
Origin	Both derive from Sama Veda; diverged around 13th century
Influence	Persian and Arabic influence (Mughal period)	More indigenous; less external influence
Raga system	Ragas grouped into Thaats (10 Thaats by V.N. Bhatkhande)	Ragas grouped into Melakartas (72 Melakarta ragas)
Improvisation	Greater emphasis on improvisation (alap)	More composition-based with set structures
Tempo	Vilambit (slow), Madhya (medium), Drut (fast)	Vilamba, Madhyama, Druta
Main vocal forms	Dhrupad, Khayal, Thumri, Ghazal	Kriti, Varnam, Padam, Tillana
Key instruments	Sitar, Sarod, Tabla, Santoor, Sarangi, Shehnai	Veena, Mridangam, Violin, Ghatam, Nadaswaram

10 Thaats (Hindustani Music)

Thaat	Equivalent Melakarta (approx.)
Bilawal	Shankarabharanam (equivalent of Western major scale)
Khamaj	Harikambhoji
Kafi	Kharaharapriya
Asavari	Natabhairavi
Bhairavi	Hanumathodi
Bhairav	Mayamalavagowla
Kalyan	Mechakalyani
Marwa	Gamanashrama
Poorvi	Kamavardhini
Todi	Shubhapantuvarali

Carnatic Music Trinity (Sangita Ratnatraya)

Composer	Period	Contribution
Tyagaraja	1767-1847	Greatest Carnatic composer; composed in Telugu; over 700 kritis; Pancharatna Kritis (five gems)
Muthuswami Dikshitar	1775-1835	Composed in Sanskrit; influenced by Hindustani music; known for kritis on temple deities
Syama Sastri	1762-1827	Smallest output but of highest quality; composed in Telugu

Hindustani Music — Important Figures

Musician	Contribution
Amir Khusrau (13th century)	Credited with developing Qawwali, Tarana, and the Sitar; Khayal form; blended Persian-Indian music
Tansen	One of the Navaratnas of Akbar’s court; Dhrupad master; legends of Raga Deepak and Raga Megh Malhar
Swami Haridas	Guru of Tansen; devotional music
V.N. Bhatkhande (1860-1936)	Musicologist; classified Hindustani ragas into 10 Thaats; wrote Hindustani Sangit Paddhati
V.D. Paluskar (1872-1931)	Founded Gandharva Mahavidyalaya; popularized classical music

Kerala’s Musical Heritage

Aspect	Details
Tradition	Kerala follows the Carnatic music system
Swathi Thirunal	Maharaja of Travancore (1813-1846); composed over 400 songs in multiple ragas and languages (Sanskrit, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi); annual Swathi Sangeethotsavam at Kuthiramalika
Sopanam music	Temple music unique to Kerala; slow, devotional; accompanies Kathakali and temple rituals
Thullal	Musical art form by Kunchan Nambiar (18th century)
Chenda melam	Percussion ensemble (Panchavadyam, Panchari, Thayambaka)

Important Musical Instruments

Instrument	Type	Region	Key Facts
Sitar	String	North	Popularized by Ravi Shankar; believed to be developed from Veena by Amir Khusrau
Sarod	String	North	Fretless; Amjad Ali Khan is a famous player
Tabla	Percussion	North	Pair of drums; attributed to Amir Khusrau
Shehnai	Wind	North	Double-reed; Bismillah Khan was the maestro
Santoor	String	North (Kashmir)	Trapezoid; Shiv Kumar Sharma popularized it
Sarangi	String (bowed)	North	”Instrument of a hundred colors”
Veena (Saraswati Veena)	String	South	National instrument mentioned in ancient texts
Mridangam	Percussion	South	Primary rhythm instrument in Carnatic music
Nadaswaram	Wind	South	Double-reed; considered auspicious; temple instrument
Ghatam	Percussion	South	Clay pot; accompaniment in Carnatic music
Chenda	Percussion	Kerala	Cylindrical drum; temple festivals
Edakka	Percussion	Kerala	Hourglass drum; Sopanam music
Idakka	Percussion	Kerala	Same as Edakka

PSC Quick Recall

Question	Answer
Bani Thani painting belongs to	Kishangarh school (painter: Nihal Chand)
Bharat Mata painting by	Abanindranath Tagore (Bengal School)
Nadir-ul-Asr title given to	Ustad Mansur (by Jahangir)
Gajendra Moksham mural is at	Krishnapuram Palace, Alappuzha
Carnatic Music Trinity	Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, Syama Sastri
10 Thaats system by	V.N. Bhatkhande
72 Melakarta system belongs to	Carnatic music
Swathi Thirunal was Maharaja of	Travancore
Tansen was in whose court?	Akbar
Amir Khusrau is credited with	Qawwali, Sitar, Khayal form
Bismillah Khan played	Shehnai
Madhubani painting is from	Bihar (Mithila region)
Tanjore painting uses	Gold foil and semi-precious stones
Sopanam music is unique to	Kerala (temple music)