IIM-Jammu begins workshop on 300-yr-old Basohli art form

The Indian Institute of Management, ,Jammu on Monday kickstarted a week-long, first-of-its-kind Basohli painting workshop, offering students a rare chance to learn directly from GI tag-certified women artists practising the 300-year-old artistic tradition.

Director, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Jammu, BS Sahay, said he welcomes the living heritage of Basohli Art to its Jagti campus, as it hosts the master practitioners “whose devotion, skill, and cultural memory preserve the aesthetic soul of Jammu and uphold India’s artistic heritage”, according to an institute spokesperson.

The unique workshop marks a significant cultural milestone for the region of Jammu and Kashmir, the spokesperson said.

“The initiative offers students an extraordinary opportunity to learn directly from GI-tag certified women artists of Basohli, renowned for their mastery of natural pigments, handcrafted paper, sacred iconography and intricate detailing,” the official said.

The workshop, scheduled to end on December 14, has been organised under Anandam: The Centre for Happiness and the Painting Club, IIM Jammu, in association with the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), Regional Centre Jammu.

“The campus will come alive with the colours of the Himalayas, the fragrance of natural stone pigments and the disciplined grace of the Basohli miniature tradition,” the spokesperson said.

He said the participants would engage in pigment preparation, sketching, stylisation, border design, divine iconography and final detailing under the guidance of the distinguished ensemble, including award-winning senior artist Sohan Singh Billowaria, state awardees Rajni Bala and Sonam Jamwal, and several others.

“Basohli painting stands as one of the earliest Pahari miniature traditions, revered for its bold outlines, radiant natural pigments, and expressive narrative depth.

“More than an artistic technique, it serves as a visual archive of regional identity, mythology, devotion and Himalayan imagination,” the official said.

The workshop includes storytelling circles, live demonstrations, mindful art reflections under Anandam and documentation support from IGNCA to ensure national archival of this heritage.