In which phase of Pahari painting is Manaku’s Gita Govinda painting Awaiting Krishna and the Hesitant Radha categorised?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Guler–Kangra phase
Option (1) Basohli phase — Incorrect. Basohli is the earlier stage from which Manaku and Nainsukh moved the style away.
Option (2) Guler–Kangra phase — Correct. The painting is placed in the Guler–Kangra phase, when change had already begun.
Option (3) Sansar Chand phase of Kangra — Incorrect. The Sansar Chand phase is a later phase of the Kangra style. This painting belongs to the earlier Guler–Kangra phase, when change had only begun.
Option (4) Mankot phase — Incorrect. Mankot is a school that grew from Basohli through marital ties, not the phase of this painting.
NCERT (2026-27): “Awaiting Krishna and the Hesitant Radha Artist Pandit Seu had two talented sons, Manak or Manaku and Nainsukh. Their contribution in maneuvering the style of Pahari painting from the stage of Basohli to that of Kangra is immense. Their sons, in turn, represent the glorious period of Kangra. This painting is categorised in the Guler–Kangra phase, wherein, experimentation for change had already been initiated.” |