Basohli Painting and GI Tag (J&K)

The world-famous Basohli Painting from the Kathua district in Jammu and Kashmir has obtained the Geographical Indication (GI) Tag. This is the first time in the history of GI registration that the Jammu region got a GI tag for handicrafts. The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Jammu granted the GI tag to Basohli Painting after a long legal process.

Basohli painting is known for its bold vitality of color and line. It is a school of Pahari miniature painting that flourished in the Indian hill states during the late 17th and the 18th centuries, with its principal center of style in the small independent state of Basohli. The oblong format is favored, with the picture space usually delineated by architectural detail, which often breaks into the characteristic red borders.