In which region was the Shangri Ramayana set painted in the last quarter of the seventeenth century?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Kullu Valley
Option (1) Kangra — Incorrect. Kangra painting blossomed later, under Raja Sansar Chand (1775–1823).
Option (2) Kullu Valley — Correct. The Shangri Ramayana is a well-known set painted in the Kullu Valley. Its paintings vary in style, so different sets of artists are believed to have painted them.
Option (3) Basohli — Incorrect. Basohli is the parent style whose offshoots continued in Kullu; the set itself was painted in the Kullu Valley.
Option (4) Guler — Incorrect. Guler is where the Guler–Kangra phase first appeared, in the eighteenth century, under Raja Govardhan Chand. The Shangri Ramayana set belongs to the Kullu Valley.
NCERT (2026-27): “Kullu emerged with a distinctive style, where figures had a prominent chin and wide open eyes, and lavish use of grey and terracotta red colours in the background was made. Shangri Ramayana is a well-known set painted in the Kullu Valley in the last quarter of the seventeenth century. Paintings of this set vary from each other in style, and, thus it is believed that these were painted by different sets of artists.” |