Raj’s 18th-century Bundi paintings await restoration
Intricate miniature wall paintings of the Chitrashala at the Taragarh Palace here have long drawn tourists in large numbers but decades of neglect is taking a toll on this 18th-century treasure.
Bundi: Intricate miniature wall paintings of the Chitrashala at the Taragarh Palace here have long drawn tourists in large numbers but decades of neglect is taking a toll on this 18th-century treasure.
Some of the paintings, crafted by Raja Rao Umed Singh, are chipping off. All of them lay bare for tourists to touch, scratch and rub.
The Chitrashala’s mural-adorned galleries hold some of the finest work of the Bundi school of painting, known for its vivid colours, intricate brushwork and rich narratives.
The paintings at the Chitrashala depict the lives of Lord Krishna and his consort Radha, royal celebrations, and flora and fauna. The colours used in the paintings were extracted from natural substances. The Chitrashala was declared a protected monument in 1951 and was transferred to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for conservation following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the then head of the Bundi royal family in 1973. However, the work is yet to begin.
“Conservation work in the Chitrashala was started by the ASI in 2021 but was stopped due to some reasons,” said Premshankar Sharma, Assistant Tourist Officer of Bundi, without elaborating. While ASI officials here refused to comment on the Chitrashala’s neglect, a senior official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, acknowledged that the historical treasure was perishing. “We have budget issues. This year, the budget for heritage conservation was diverted to the World Heritage Convocation that was organised by the ASI in Delhi,” the official said.
“Last year, the budget for heritage conservation in Bundi was diverted to conservation work at three sites – Kansuwa, Charchoma and Darra – in Kota on the directions of senior political leaders,” he said.
