From royal courts to village courtyards, IIAS gallery brings Kangra miniatures to life
The Indian Institute of Advanced Study in Shimla has opened a dedicated gallery for Kangra miniature painting, titled Kangra Kalam: The Pahari Miniature Art Gallery. The inauguration, led by Governor Kavinder Gupta, coincided with the institute’s Diamond Jubilee, marking a significant cultural addition.
The exhibition moves beyond the traditional royal and devotional motifs that have long defined the genre. It brings to the fore scenes of agrarian labour, local festivals, Gaddi community life, folk music and everyday culinary practices, offering visitors a vivid glimpse into the lived world of the Himalayan foothills.
The gallery’s conception grew out of a recent five‑day workshop where master artists taught apprentices through the Guru–Shishya Parampara, using natural pigments and historic tools. The event underscored a commitment to preserving the tactile knowledge that underpins the art form.
Alongside the gallery, a bust of former President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was unveiled and a scholarly volume, Folk and Rural Imagery in Kangra Miniatures, was released, cementing the institute’s role as a bridge between scholarship, practice and public appreciation.