Jal Sanjhi, the art of painting on water, is kept alive by just one family in Udaipur, Rajasthan. With a canvas of water rather than paper or cloth, they’ve been practicing the art of Jal Sanjhi for generations. Every painting depicts only one subject: the Hindu god, Krishna.
Itinerary
A unique art form was discovered in Udaipur where the canvas is not cloth or paper, but sheer water. Sanjhi — paintings that float on water — are made as a tribute to Lord Krishna during this festival season. Over 200 years old, this rare art and has been kept alive by just one family in Udaipur, who have been practicing it for generations. From the birth of Krishna to the destruction of Kansa, themes have always been the legend of Krishna. The artistmade the famous rasleela or garba dance that Krishna does with his gopis.
Water placed in a flat vessel is sprinkled with black charcoal powder and some secret ingredients to create a floating base. Colors are then filled into paper stencils, which are skillfully lifted without disturbing the surface of the water. The art of Sanjhi is similar to the Pichwai paintings of Nathdwara that have evolved around the Krishna sect, except that Sanjhi is done not on canvas but on water and this art has been kept alive through generations by just one family in Udaipur. Originally created with natural mineral colors, modern chemical colors have proved to be a setback for this rare art. Nowdays, colors have a lot of chemicals in them that creates a lot of problem because unlike natural colors, these chemical colors don’t always float on water and, if they sink, they destroy the painting.
Image Gallery
While the Mediterranean climate characterizes most of the country, there are two other climate systems that are present. One is the cool Alpine climate which is found on mountainous areas of the country’s interior, including many high-altitude valleys.