India's art heritage is a remarkable document of the Indian society's changing face through the ages. The enormous variety in style, technique, media and themes is a pointer to the richness of Indian art and its evolution. Indian art has retained a unique character in spite of assimilating in its fold myriad other influences that have come its way. The development of Indian art and paintings in terms of form makes a fascinating study.

Murals and frescos
The world famous frescoes of Ajanta and Ellora are representatives of Indian murals and frescos, are among the earliest examples of Indian art. These paintings are works of anonymous Buddhist sculptor-monks, and depict a wide variety of Buddhist themes. The use of vibrant mineral colors, decorative floral patterns and animal figures are among the chief characteristics of these paintings.

Miniatures
Miniatures represent a huge contrast in terms of sheer size as compared to the majestic frescos. Indian miniatures, which were born in the medieval ages, are characterised by their meticulous detail and delicate brushwork. Most of these beautiful paintings depict court life, suggesting that their painters enjoyed royal patronage. The most prominent schools of this form of painting are Pahari (comprising the hilly regions of Kumaon and Kangra) and Rajasthani (Mewar, Udaipur, Jaipur). The miniatures of Malwa and Bundelkhand are known for their intricate brushwork. Many miniatures of the Mughal period depict emperors Akbar and Jahangir.

Pata Chitra Paintings of Orissa
Orissa is known for its it palm leaf paintings, called Pata Chitra. These folk paintings mostly portray Hindu mythological themes. The 'canvas' is made of dried palm leaves,
strung together in such a manner that they open up like a fan, revealing the exquisite illustrations. Pata Chitras are usually ink sketches, but are sometimes painted with
vegetable dyes as well.

Warli Paintings of Maharashtra
Members of the Warli tribe live close to Mumbai, the financial capital of India. The Warli people have retained their cultural identity in spite of living so close to the glamourous metro. Their artform, predominantly used to decorate the walls of homes, was discovered in the 1970s, catapaulting the small tribe to global fame. Warli paintings generally have daily life and social events as their themes. According to some scholars, Warli art is has pictographic origins, and is a method of passing on knowledge from one generation to another. The paintings are simple, and are remarkably close to the pre-historic cave paintings in term of thematic composition and
techniques.

Maithili Paintings
This, again, is a form of mud wall painting that is still in vogue in the Mithila region (Darbhanga district of Bihar). Vegetable colours are used to paint these vibrant pictures that have the relationship of women with nature as the basic theme. Social and religious ceremonies surrounding marriage, child birth, and nature form the basic subject matter of these paintings, which are usually the creations womenfolk. The paintings are identifiable by the characteristic use spots of paint.

Madhubani Paintings
Madhubani paintings have today become a rage the world over. This style of painting has developed from the decorative wall paintings of Mithilanchal. Traditionally, the art was passed on from mother to daughter. Though the processes have undergone refinement, the technique essentially remains the same. Thematically, traditional Madhubani paintings deal with various aspects related to the wedding rites. Madhubani paintings are now available in handmade paper, cloth, scroll and various other media.

Rajasthani Paintings
The Rajasthani paintings are marked by the vibrant use of colours and sharpness of lines. Huge frescoes depicting royal processions and hunts can be seen on the walls of havelis. The Rajasthani miniatures are quite a contrast. The Kishangarh school of painting is known for Bani Thani miniatures. The Bani Thani paintings portray images of Radha, the divine lover of Krishna, and are said to be modelled on a court singer of Raja Sawant Singh who went by the same name. Bani Thani paintings are now available in cloth, marble etc.

Kalighat Paintings of Bengal
Kalighat Paintings owe their name to a place called Kalighat in Kolkata (erstwhile Calcutta), famous for a temple dedicated to Goddess Kali. Most of the artists of this genre lived near the temple, hence the name. Kalighat Paintings are basically done in watercolours on mill-made paper. This form of painting has its origins in the images of deities painted by migrant potters. The style was later adapted to showcase the evils of the society, thus making powerful political statements.