NCERT Class 12 Art & Culture — Chapter 5: The Pahari Schools of Painting

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Which scholar disputed the hypothesis that the sudden change in Pahari painting was caused by the migration of artists from the Mughal atelier?

Official previous-year question

Verified 1 Aug 2026.

Options

AW. G. Archer
BAnanda Coomaraswamy
CB. N. Goswamy
DM. S. Randhawa

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Solution

The correct option is B. N. Goswamy.

Explanation

The historiography of Pahari painting involves a significant debate regarding the origins of the transition from the bold Basohli style to the refined, naturalistic Guler-Kangra style in the mid-18th century. A long-standing hypothesis attributed this sudden change to the migration of artists from the Mughal court to the Hill states following political instability in Delhi (specifically Nadir Shah's invasion in 1739).

Scholarly Perspectives:

W. G. Archer: He was a leading proponent of the "migration hypothesis." He argued that the sudden appearance of the refined Guler style was due to the influx of Mughal-trained artists fleeing Delhi around 1739.
B. N. Goswamy: He explicitly disputed the hypothesis that the change was caused primarily by the migration of artists from the Mughal atelier. In his seminal work, "Pahari Painting: The Family as the Basis of Style," Goswamy used pilgrimage records and genealogies to demonstrate that the stylistic evolution was driven by specific artist families (such as the family of Pandit Seu and his sons Nainsukh and Manaku) rather than distinct court schools. He argued that the shift towards naturalism began internally within these families before the alleged mass migration.
M. S. Randhawa: A prominent scholar who documented Kangra painting extensively, he generally supported the view that the Guler-Kangra style emerged from a synthesis of the local folk tradition and the Mughal technique introduced by migrating artists.
Ananda Coomaraswamy: He was the pioneer who first distinguished Rajput painting (which includes Pahari) from Mughal painting in 1916, categorizing them as distinct traditions. However, the specific debate regarding the 1739 migration and the "family basis of style" belongs to the later scholarship of Archer and Goswamy.

Key Takeaway:
B. N. Goswamy challenged the court-centric classification of Indian miniatures and the Mughal migration theory, establishing that artist lineages (families) were the primary carriers and developers of style in Pahari painting.

Your note

More from Chapter 5: The Pahari Schools of Painting

Which of the following pairs of Pahari artists and their patrons is correctly matched? 1. Devida : Kirpal Pal 2. Nainsukh : Balwant Singh 3. Manaku : Sansar Chand (later service) Select the correct answer using the code given below:

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With reference to the origins of the Pahari Schools of Painting, consider the following statements: 1. The Pahari style began at Basohli with a coarsely flamboyant style and matured into the sophisticated Kangra style. 2. Unlike Rajasthani and Mughal schools, Pahari paintings are easily classified based on distinct territorial boundaries. 3. The earliest prevailing pictorial language in the hills is generally understood to be the Basohli-like style. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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Which of the following factors is considered by art historians to be chiefly responsible for the shaping of the Pahari style of painting?

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Consider the following statements regarding the Basohli School of painting: 1. It flourished under the patronage of Raja Sansar Chand in the late 19th century. 2. A distinctive feature is the use of small, shiny green particles of beetle wings to simulate emeralds in jewellery. 3. The style is characterized by the use of strong primary colours and warm yellows. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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Which of the following texts was the most popular theme for the painters of the Basohli School?

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The correct option is B. N. Goswamy.

Explanation

Scholarly Perspectives:

W. G. Archer: He was a leading proponent of the "migration hypothesis." He argued that the sudden appearance of the refined Guler style was due to the influx of Mughal-trained artists fleeing Delhi around 1739.
B. N. Goswamy: He explicitly disputed the hypothesis that the change was caused primarily by the migration of artists from the Mughal atelier. In his seminal work, "Pahari Painting: The Family as the Basis of Style," Goswamy used pilgrimage records and genealogies to demonstrate that the stylistic evolution was driven by specific artist families (such as the family of Pandit Seu and his sons Nainsukh and Manaku) rather than distinct court schools. He argued that the shift towards naturalism began internally within these families before the alleged mass migration.
M. S. Randhawa: A prominent scholar who documented Kangra painting extensively, he generally supported the view that the Guler-Kangra style emerged from a synthesis of the local folk tradition and the Mughal technique introduced by migrating artists.
Ananda Coomaraswamy: He was the pioneer who first distinguished Rajput painting (which includes Pahari) from Mughal painting in 1916, categorizing them as distinct traditions. However, the specific debate regarding the 1739 migration and the "family basis of style" belongs to the later scholarship of Archer and Goswamy.