Three of these terms belong to one Rajasthani school of painting. Which is the odd one out?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Suratkhana
Option (1) Gudarayi — A Bikaner School term. In Bikaner, gudarayi, meaning to ‘lift’, was the master artist’s finishing touches to a painting.
Option (2) Bahis — A Bikaner School term. The Bahis were the royal archival day-to-day diaries that make Bikaner well documented.
Option (3) Ustas — A Bikaner School term. Bikaner artists, whose portraits were a unique custom there, were called Ustas or Ustad.
Option (4) Suratkhana — A Jaipur School term. The Suratkhana, where paintings were made and stored, was reorganised by Sawai Jai Singh of Jaipur.
NCERT (2026-27): “Bikaner School of Painting …However, it becomes evident from these entries that the master artist would occasionally put finishing touches to the paintings. The term used for this was gudarayi, literally meaning to ‘lift’. …The custom of having portraits of artists is unique to the Bikaner School and most of them are inscribed with information regarding their ancestry. They are referred to as Ustas or Ustad. …Accounts from the Bahis, royal archival day-to-day diaries, and numerous inscriptions on Bikaner paintings make it one of the best documented schools of painting.” “Jaipur School of Painting …Sawai Jai Singh (1699–1743), an influential ruler, established a new capital city Jaipur named after him in 1727 and shifted from Amer. …He also invited eminent craftsmen and other artists to settle down in Jaipur and reorganised the Suratkhana, the place where paintings were made and stored.” |