• Meenakshi Sengupta

Between 1830 and 1930, the Marwari merchants who settled in the coastal cities (The then Bombay and Calcutta), started to built Havelis for their families in Shekhawati, their hometown in Rajasthan. As the ultimate symbol of their opulence, the Marwaris commissioned the local artists to paint those Havelis. These painted walls were an adoption of traditional narratives of Royal courts but interestingly diluted with local and popular culture reflecting the wealth, power, and individual tastes of their patrons. This unconventional blend of tradition and modernity not only contributed to the distinctive character of Shekhawati art but also played a pivotal role in shaping the framework of Indian modernism. The painted walls of Shekhawati serve as a transition from classical mythological themes, towards glimpse of everyday life to a broader engagement with populist culture. It is crucial to look back at the walls of Shekhawati to understand the trends of Indian Modernism culminating in post-modern interdisciplinary practice or image-making. Modernist artists were able to create a unique language of expression that was rooted in their cultural identity. This fusion of tradition and modernity gave rise to a vibrant and distinct artistic voice, separating Indian modernism from the hegemony of Western counterparts. My paper will intervene into this changing narrative of Indian court painting tradition within different institutional framework.

Tradition, Modernity, Shekhawati Region, popular culture, court painting

"Tradition in Transition: The Painted Walls of Shekhawati", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 3, page no.b665-b672, March-2025, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2503173.pdf

"Tradition in Transition: The Painted Walls of Shekhawati", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 3, page no. ppb665-b672, March-2025, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2503173.pdf