Know more about the origin and evolution of the most endearing and sparkling form of art prevalent and popular in India for about 400 years.

Nirmal Paintings are one of the most popular forms of Indian paintings that can be spotted in a variety of setups from drawing rooms of people’s homes to museums to offices. When people talk about India’s art and culture, the mention of Nirmal Paintings comes up invariably and helps to highlight the rich culture of India and our culture’s long standing relationship with evolution of art across different time periods. The style of Nirmal Painting is dated back to about four hundred years.

It gets the name Nirmal from a town Nirmal located in the Indian state of Telangana. It is a town full of beautiful and lush green forests. The town is most popular for the creation of Nirmal Paintings.

Origin of the style 

The origin of Nirmal Paintings can be traced back to the era of Kakatiya Dynasty in India. This period lies between the 12th and 14th Century. During this time period, this style of painting was used on pieces of furniture which were a part of décor and decorating the walls etc.

The community of Naqash

The craftsmen of Nirmal Paintings since its inception belong to the community of artists called ‘Naqash’. This community originally belonged to Rajasthan. It is believed that the Nizam of Hyderabad visited the Nirmal village and was enchanted by the beauty of the venue and decorations which was elaborated by the artisans of Naqash community. He was so enamored by golden petals designed by the artisans that he patronized this style of art and artists.

Apart from the Nizam, Nirmal paintings attracted several patrons over the years including Lady Hyder Ali who promoted this art and artists.

Unique Style and Medium

These paintings are quite different and specific in the way the Base is selected to create every piece of art. To create the base of the painting, a specific wood called Ponnikki is used. This piece of wood is precisely cut into desired sizes. The frame is crafted with the help of sandpaper. To decorate and elaborate the frame, a paint called, Luppam is used.

To paint the themes, different naturally originated colors from sources like Vegetables are used. The science and logic behind choosing different source of colors is based on the season and a few other factors. Every component and raw material used is mostly sourced from Nature and is selected to maximize the longevity of the artwork.

Beautiful and Diverse Themes

The exceptional beauty of Nirmal Paintings lies in the wide range of themes used for creating the artworks. The themes include Mythology, Religion, Wedding Scenes, Natural Sceneries, Flowers, Folk Dances, Music and many more. Certain motifs are used which are elaborated with unique material and glowing bold colors. This brings out the exceptional beauty of the painting.

The unique motifs used to create these paintings are created by taking inspiration from different cultures of art like Persian culture. Certain artworks also show inspiration derived from Mughal art.

The art work shows many famous themes and epics of Indian culture like Ramayana and Mahabharata. Some pieces of this art also show the grand forts and temples of India.

Embracing the Nirmal Paintings

To celebrate and encourage the style of Nirmal Painting, it was awarded with the tag of Geographical Indication in 2009. This award promotes the hard work and talent of the artist community. It throws more light on the rich and thriving culture of India with a blast of colors and creativity.

Nirmal Paintings will always be a favourite owing to its evolution and the talent of the artists.