Observe the image and answer the following question.
The painting in the image comes from Nathdwara, a town close to Udaipur. For whom were the large backdrops called pichhwais painted on cloth in Nathdwara?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → The deity, Shrinathji
Option (1) The Maharanas of Mewar — Incorrect. The Maharanas ruled Mewar, but the pichhwais of Nathdwara were painted for the deity, not for them.
Option (2) The Hada Rajput rulers of Bundi — Incorrect. The Hada Rajputs ruled Bundi, which had its own school. They were not the users of the Nathdwara backdrops.
Option (3) The Mughal emperors at Delhi — Incorrect. The pichhwais were made for the festive occasions of the deity, not for the Mughal court.
Option (4) The deity, Shrinathji — Correct. Nathdwara was a Vaishnava centre, and its large cloth backdrops were painted for Shrinathji on festive occasions.
NCERT (2026-27): “Mewar School of Painting …Nathdwara, a town close to Udaipur and a prominent Vaishnava centre, also emerged as a school of painting in the late seventeenth century. Large backdrops called pichhwais were painted on cloth for the deity, Shrinathji, for several festive occasions.”
Krishna as Shrinathji celebrating the festival of Sarad Purnima, Nathdwara, 1800, National Museum, New Delhi |
