Various schools of miniature painting collectively called Pahari, flourished between the 17th and 19th centuries in the sub-Himalayan states towards the end of the Mughal rule in India. Rajput kings or chieftains who were all great connoisseurs of art ruled the hillypahari1.JPG (21325 bytes) region, comprising of 22 princely states, extending from Jammu to Almora. With the infusion of new ideas and techniques these schools attained a level of maturity and sophistication, which made them worthy successors of the Mughal tradition. This art dwelt largely on the themes and symbols from literature and mythology. A typical Pahari composition consists of several figures skillfully grouped and full of movement, and each is distinctive in terms of clothing, hairstyle and even pigmentation, which may be blue, white, pink or grey. Pandit Seu of Guler and his sons Manaku and Nainsukh were among the greatest of the Pahari painters. The Pahari paintings can be classified into two groups: a northern series called the Jammu or Dogra school and the southern series called the Kangra school.

Styles of Pahari Paintings :
Pahari paintings of India can be divided into two distinct categories, on the basis of their geographical range, namely:

* Basohli and Kulu Style (Influenced by Chaurpanchasika style)
* Guler and Kangra Style (Based on cooler colors and refinement)

Types of Pahari Paintings : Basohli Paintings, Bilaspur Paintings, Chamba Paintings, Garhwal Paintings, Guler Kangra Style Paintings, Jammu Paintings, Jasrota Paintings, Kulu Paintings, Mandi Paintings, Mankot Paintings, Nurpur Paintings, etc.