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Indian painting had its birth in the caves of Ajanta about 200 B.C. The Ajanta Painting depicts the main events in the life of the Buddha and the Jataka stories which describe his previous incarnations. A lyrical beauty, naturalism and fluid grace and the rhythmic line that remained the basis of Indian painting in succeeding centuries characterize them.
The Ajanta painting had a wide influence on Indian art. Gopala found the Pala dynasty about 760 A.D. and his successor was Buddhist and built many temples and monastery. During the rule of Pala Kings from 11 th to early 12 th centuries, themes from the Buddhist religious texts were painted on palm leaves. The paintings are in the center with text on both sides. At that time paper had not yet reached India so they used palm leaves.
In 1192, Muhammad Ghori defeated Prithviraj Chouhan, the Rajput King of Delhi. As a result of this, Muslim supremacy was established in northern India. This was a major event in the history of India. Northern India was ruled thereafter by a succession of Pathan kings, namely the Khiljis (1290-1320), the Tughlaqs (1320-1413), the Sayyids (1414-51) and Lodis (1451-1526).
On Delhi Mughal dynasty rules for very long period and Mughal paintings period started. Almost Mughal Emperors give patronage to art paintings. In Rajasthan many Rajput Rajas also give patronage to painting Art.
A distinct evolution in Indian miniature painting can be traced from the Pala to Kangra School. The gentle rounded faces of the Buddhist gods and Goddesses are transformed in to Jain deities with their angular featured. The projecting eye in Jain painting is dropped and faces become rounded again in the pre- Mughal paintings of th eKulhadar group. These rounded faces of women persist in the early Deccani painting. They later on merge with the Persian elements in the Akabari Mughal paintings. The harshness of the Mughal is subdued and sensuousness and gentleness make an appearance in the paintings executed for Jahangir and his successors. During the rule of Muhammad Shah, the typical oval female face emerges and persists in provincial Mughal centers of painting in Oudh- and Deccan. These characteristics are slightly modified in the Bundi paintings of Rajsthan. In Kishangarh, another Rajsthani state, influenced by the Sanskrit ideal of feminine beauty, paintings acquire romantic loveliness. The faces of women become rounded and acquire gentleness and beauty in paintings from Guler and Kangra. Thus the evolution of Indian miniature paintings, which burgeoned in the 11 th century, culminates in the art of the Kangra valley one of the greatest styles in Indian art in which women are willowy and slender and their faces gentle and passionate.
