What is a Mural?

• A mural is any piece of artwork that is painted or applied directly on a wall.
• More broadly, mural art also appears on ceilings or any other large permanent surface.
• Mural paintings usually have the distinguishing characteristic of having the architectural elements of the space they are painted on being harmoniously incorporated into the picture.
• There are many techniques used for mural painting, of which the fresco is just one.
• A mural, therefore, is a general term for a wall painting, whilst a fresco is a specific term.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Q1. The well-known painting “Bani Thani” belongs to the (2018)

(a) Bundi school
(b) Jaipur school
(c) Kangra school 
(d) Kishangarh school

Ans: (d)

• Kishangarh School:
  • Bani Thani painting belongs to the Kishangarh School. Kishangarh School (18^th century) of Indian painting emerged in the Princely State of Kishangarh (Central Rajasthan).
• Kangra School:
  • Around mid-18^th century, as forces of Nadir Shah (1739) and Ahmad Shah Abdali (1744-1773) pillaged the Mughal capital of Delhi and surrounding areas, the birth of the Kangra School of painting at Haripur-Guler under the patronage of Raja Govardhan Chand (1744-1773) took place as he provided asylum to refugee artists trained in the Mughal style of painting.
• Bundi School:
  • Between 17^th-19^th century, Bundi School of painting developed in the Princely State of Bundi and its neighbouring principality of Kotah (now Kota) both in present-day Rajasthan.
• Jaipur School:
  • As the rulers of Jaipur (Amer) Princely State had close affiliation with the Mughals, the art which developed between the late 16th and early 18th century had syncretic elements of both Rajasthani style (which predominated the art style between 16^th-17^th century) and Mughal style.

Q2. Kalamkari painting refers to (2015)

(a) a hand-painted cotton textile in South India
(b) a handmade drawing on bamboo handicrafts in North-East India
(c) a block-painted woollen cloth in Western Himalayan region of India
(d) a hand-painted decorative silk cloth in NorthWestern India

Ans: (a)

Exp:

• Kalamkari is an ancient style of hand painting done on cotton or silk fabric with a tamarind pen using natural dyes in the South Indian States of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
• The word Kalamkari is derived from a Persian word where ‘Kalam‘ means pen and ‘Kari‘ refers to craftsmanship.
• This art involves 23 tedious steps of dyeing, bleaching, hand painting, block printing, starching, cleaning and more.
• Motifs drawn in Kalamkari span from flowers, peacock, paisleys to divine characters of Hindu epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata.
• Nowadays, this art is primarily done to create Kalamkari saris. Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

Q3. Consider the following historical places: (2013)

1. Ajanta Caves
2. Lepakshi Temple
3. Sanchi Stupa

Which of the above places is/are also known for mural paintings?

(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3
(d) None

Ans: (b)

Exp:

Ajanta Caves:

• The early mural paintings may be assumed to be the prototypes of the carved land painted picture galleries of the subsequent periods of the Buddhist art, such as in the painted cave temples of Ajanta in Maharashtra.
• Mural paintings are found in the caves of Ajanta, Bagh, Sittanavasal, Armamalai cave (Tamil Nadu), Ravan Chhaya rock shelter, Kailasanatha temple in Ellora caves. Hence, 1 is correct.

Lepakshi Temple:

• Located on a low, rocky hill called Kurmasailam (which translates to tortoise hill in Telugu) in southern Andhra Pradesh, the Lepakshi temple was built by the brothers, Virupanna and Veeranna, who were initially in the service of the Vijayanagar rulers in 1583.
• It is famed for its Hanging Column or Pillar, a monolithic Nandi (4.5 m high and 8.23 m long) and finest specimens of mural paintings.

Lepakshi Temple:

• Commissioned by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka in 3rd century BC, it is a simple hemispherical brick structure built over the relics of the Buddha with four Torana (ornamental gateways).
• It also has stone reliefs inspired from the life of the Buddha and pillar having central anta capital with many rosettes, beads-and-reels, as well as a central palmette design. It does not have any mural paintings. Hence, 3 is not correct.

Q4. There are only two known examples of cave paintings of the Gupta period in ancient India. One of these is paintings of Ajanta caves. Where is the other surviving example of Gupta paintings? (2010)

(a) Bagh caves
(b) Ellora caves
(c) Lomas Rishi cave
(d) Nasik caves

Ans: (b)

• Bagh caves are situated in the Vindhya hills of Madhya Pradesh. They are an excellent example of Buddhist art and architecture in India. The caves have both Chaityas and Viharas. The Bagh caves were quarried during the 5^th-6^th century AD, which corresponded to the late stages of Buddhism in India.
• The Gupta period is considered as the golden age of art and architecture in India. The Gupta rulers were great patrons of arts, literature, and scholars. The Ajanta and Ellora caves were carved during the reign of the Gupta empire. They contain paintings of both Hindu and Buddhist themes.
• The Lomas Rishi cave is a man-made cave in the Barabar and Nagarjuni hills of Bihar. It was built during the Ashokan period of the Mauryan Empire in the 3^rd century BC.
• The Nasik caves are a group of 24 caves carved during the 1st century BC – 3^rd century AD. Additions were made during the 6^th century AD to reflect the ongoing changes in the Hinayana Buddhism.
• The inscriptions on the caves point that the different ruling dynasties have contributed to the construction of the caves apart from the donations made by local merchants and lords. The three ruling dynasties mentioned on the caves are – the Western Kshatrapas, the Satavahanas and the Abhiras. Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.