Indian paintings traditions go
back to antiquity, as is evident from the murals of Ajanta, Ellora
and other frescoes, the Buddhist palm leaf manuscripts, the Jain
texts and the Deccan, Mughal and Kangra schools of miniature Indian
painting.
Indian Painting is an old tradition, with ancient texts outlining
theories of color and and anecdotal accounts suggesting that it
was common for households to paint their doorways or indoor rooms
where guests resided. Cave paintings from Ajanta, Bagh and Sittanvasal
and temple paintings testify to a love of naturalism.
The Indian paintings have now acquired a stature of their own.
They use materials and techniques from all over the world but
express Indian realities and Indian experiences. The respect for
tradition and the ability to transcend it at the same time is
clearly evident in Indian art of today. This is the essence of
what has been described as the eclecticism of the Indian contemporary
expression.