Coordinates: 32°30′N 75°49′E / 32.50°N 75.82°E / 32.50; 75.82

Basohli (town)

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Basohli
Town
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CountryFile:Flag of India.svg India
Union TerritoryJammu and Kashmir
DistrictKathua
Elevation
1,200 m (3,900 ft)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total
5,433
Languages
 • OfficialDogri, Pahari, Hindi, English
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
Postal code
184201
File:Ganesha Basohli miniature circa 1730 Dubost p73.jpg
Shri Ganesha (c. 1730).[1]

Basohli (formerly Vishwasthali) is the name of tehsil and town in Kathua district in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is situated on the right bank of the River Ravi, at an altitude of 1876 ft. The town was founded by Raja Bhupat Pal sometime in 1635. It was known for the palaces which are now in ruins and GI tagged Pahari miniatures paintings (the Basohli school of Pahari painting).

Basohli is known for its unique 'Basohli Paintings'. In the late 17th century, Basohli emerged as a great centre of Pahari paintings. According to well known Dr. Herman Goltz, "Basohli painting are among the great achievements of Indians". Their central inspiration is Vashnavism, the themes have been taken from the epics and the Puranas.

The different themes of the paintings are religious (Gita Govinda and Ramayana), secular, historical, contemporary and literary. Besides the paintings bring out extreme emotion combined with a lyrical sense of Basohli landscape.

Basohli paintings are said to have been described as 'Poems in colours'. The paintings are marked by strikingly blazing colours bold lines, rich symbols and peculiar features giving an accumulative impact of highly sensuous environs.

Geography

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Basohli is located at Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found..[2] It has an average elevation of 460 metres (1509 feet). Basohli is situated in the uneven lofty hills of Shiwaliks. It is situated in the right bank of Ravi river. Part of the Ranjit Sagar Dam falls in the area of Basholi.[3]

Demographics

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According to 2011 census,[4] Basohli had a population of 5433. Males constituted 52.01% of the population and females 47.99%. Basohli had an average literacy rate of 77%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 57% of the males and 43% of females literate. 12% of the population was under 6 years of age.

Religion

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The religious distribution of the population is as follows - Hindu 83.01%, Muslim 16.38%, other 0.61%.[5]

Basohli painting

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Basohli is widely known for its paintings, which are considered the first school of Pahari paintings, and which evolved into the much prolific Kangra paintings school by mid-eighteenth century.[6] The painter Nainsukh ended his career in Basohli.[7]

File:Raja Amrit Pal (Reigned 1757-1776) of Basohli LACMA M.80.223.1.jpg
Raja Amrit Pal (Reigned 1757–1776) of Basohli

History

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The Battle of Basoli was fought in Basohli between the Sikhs and the Mughal Empire aided by the Rajputs of the hill states in 1702.[8]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ National Museum, New Delhi. For description of the work see: Martin-Dubost (1997), p. 73, which says: "Ganesha getting ready to throw his lotus. Basohli miniature, circa 1730. National Museum, New Delhi. Attired in an orange dhoti, his body is enitirely red. On the three points of his tiny crown, budding lotuses have been fixed. Gaṇeśa holds in his two right hands the rosary and a cup filled with three modakas (a fourth substituted by the curving trunk is just about to be tasted). In his two left hands, Gaṇeśa holds a large lotus above and an axe below, with its handle leaning against his shoulder. In the Mudgalapurāṇa (VII, 70), in order to kill the demon of egotism (Mamāsura) who had attacked him, Gaṇeśa Vighnarāja throws his lotus at him. Unable to bear the fragrance of the divine flower, the demon surrenders to Gaṇeśa."
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  8. ^ Sikh History In 10 Volumes (Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer), vol. 1.

Further reading

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  • Hutchinson, J. & J. PH Vogel (1933). History of the Panjab Hill States, Vol. I. 1st edition: Govt. Printing, Pujab, Lahore, 1933. Reprint 2000. Department of Language and Culture, Himachal Pradesh. Chapter XVIII Basohli State, pp. 587–613.
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value). (see index: p. 148-152, for information about Basholi painting)

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