Vijay Sharma is an art historian and art critic. He is well known as a fine miniature painter and has traveled in India and abroad to deliver lectures on Pahari painting. He is the recipient of several awards namely the National Award of Master Craftsman in Basohli Painting in 1990 and Padma Shri in 2012. At present, he works as a senior artist in the Bhuri Singh Museum, Chamba in Himachal Pradesh.

The Kolkata Mail correspondent Priyanka Dutta caught up with Vijay Sharma in an exclusive interview about his new book-Painting In The Kangra Valley. Excerpts..

How much time did it take to complete research on the book Painting in the Kangra Valley?

Vijay Sharma- I had been collecting information relating to the Kangra painters for the past two decades.

What challenges did you face while doing the research for the book?

Vijay Sharma- The archival material recorded in the ledgers (bahi) of Panda at the various places of Hindu pilgrimage yielded information of great importance. It was a challenge to access these records in the form of Bahi (registers) wherein the painters themselves had recorded the entries. The pandas were suspicious of my interest in making notes.

What is the main element of the Kangra Valley paintings?

Vijay Sharma- The sentiment of love or the Sringar-rasa is the main element of Kangra painting.

How did you become interested in miniature paintings?

Vijay Sharma- In my childhood, I used to visit the local Bhuri Singh Museum in Chamba. The pictures displayed there in the painting gallery cast a magical influence on my mind.

What is the main element of Pahari miniature painting?

Vijay Sharma- The Pahari school of painting is a happy blend of Rajput and Mughal painting. The early phase of Pahari painting i.e. Basohli school represents the bold expressions and treatment while the later phase (Guler-Kangra schools) displays the refinement in brushwork with the palette of soft brilliant colors.

How has your association with the Bhuri Singh Museum, Chamba being of help to you?

Vijay Sharma- Perhaps it was destined for me to work at the Bhuri Singh Museum, Chamba. The study of Pahari miniatures in the repository of the museum sharpened my eye and opened new vistas.

You are yourself a miniature painter. What according to you are the elements of miniature painting?

Vijay Sharma- The line and form are important elements of miniature painting. The Kangra art excels in the depiction of various moods and expressions, especially the sublime beauty of young and coy females.

What advice will you like to give to authors who are interested in writing books on art and culture?

Vijay Sharma- The authors interested in writing on art must be aware of Sanskrit and Hindi texts, especially the riti genre of Hindi poetry. Besides the ability to read scripts like Nastaliq, Devanagari, and Takri, one should have knowledge of local political history and the royal patrons of arts.

What is next in line for you as an author?

Vijay Sharma- Presently, I am working on the Ragamala genre of Pahari painting. Hundreds of Pahari paintings on this complex subject are in various public and private collections across the world. These paintings are based on the 16^th century Sanskrit work ‘Ragamala’ by Kshemakarna, a musicologist of Rewa state. Incidentally, there is not a single book that informs us about the dhyana (imagery) of each Raga, Ragini, and Ragaputra.

We look forward eagerly to the next work of Vijay Sharma.