Rich tapestry of cultural memories

Devotion, storytelling, and artistic splendour all come together to make ‘Delighting Krishna: Paintings of the Child-God’, an exhibition of pichwai paintings at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art in Washington DC, a sublime experience.

Given the rising interest in pichwai, it’s not surprising to come across exhibitions focused on the art form that is rooted in the Pushtimargi sect of Vaishnavism devoted to Lord Krishna, but when an institution like the Smithsonian does it, you’ve got to take note. Debra Diamond, Curator for South Asian and Southeast Asian Art at NMAA, is quick to clarify that the showcase isn’t linked to the renewed interest and excitement around pichwais. The institution does an exhibition of traditional Indian art every three to five years.  The exhibition features 14 pichwais measuring 8x8 feet, portraying Krishna’s life in Vrindavan. Dating from the 18th and 19th centuries, the paintings have been conserved after an extensive three-year project and are on view together for the first time. The exhibition also includes 10 small court paintings created between the 16th and the 19th centuries. Explaining how the exhibition came through, the senior curator remarks, “We have an initiative that enables us to showcase religious art of different cultures in ways that will reflect what heritage communities feel about their traditions and also work to create empathy across religions. Because of that, we were able to get the funding that enabled us to conserve these pichwais because it’s an expensive and time-consuming proposition. We also bring in diverse voices such as scientists, pigment analysts, conservators, members of the Pushtimargi community and a few Hindu Americans to interpret and co-create the exhibition.” The Pushtimarg sect belongs to the Vaishnavite tradition that worships Krishna as a child with Shrinathji as their presiding deity.

Pichwais are textile paintings hung behind the deity in the Shrinathji temple in Nathdwara. These intricate and colourful paintings depict Lord Krishna’s life while growing up, surrounded by gopis, playing the flute amidst his herd of cows, lifting Mount Govardhan, and in a forest with Radha. Pichwais are done as a devotional service to the lord. They are painted with real gold leaf, natural dyes and pigments derived from plants and minerals.

But what’s on display at the exhibition? An incredible collection showing Krishna defeating the demon Trinavarta, stealing the Gopis’ clothes; Gopis searching for Krishna; Radha, pining for her beloved; his childhood episodes and many more. “The idea is to make something that expresses a community’s profound beliefs, but I also have to make it accessible to people. We did a survey, and tons of Americans don’t know that Krishna is a Hindu god. There were people in my team who asked if Krishna is a Buddhist,” says Diamond. She says the process of restoring these pichwais was full of surprises and discoveries. In the 1960s and 70s, Pushtimarg havelis would throw away or sell the old, damaged pichwais, which were bought by several people, including a well-known American designer, Karl B Mann. He eventually gifted them to the museum in 1992.

“It’s interesting to note that the Nathdwara artists were constantly innovating. They changed the pigments, brought in new styles and art forms, but all centred around the main image of Krishna. Even in the 20th century, the artists continued to use handloom cotton and didn’t switch to mill cotton.”

By showcasing these centuries-old textile masterpieces, the museum not only gives us a glimpse into India’s sacred art but also nudges our artistic and cultural memories while giving space to a community’s expression.

The exhibition is on till August 24.