Original Guler Paintings of Kangra School Shine in London, While Himachal Lives with Duplicates
Dehra, Oct 1 (Vivek Pathania):
The Kangra school’s famed Guler paintings—masterpieces born in the quiet hills of Himachal—continue to dazzle art lovers across the world. Ironically, while originals decorate museum walls in London, back home in Himachal, people have to make do with replicas.
This irony struck Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu deeply during his recent visit to London. Accompanied by his wife and Dehra MLA Kamlesh Thakur, and their daughters, Sukhu spent hours in one of the UK’s grand museums, where Guler paintings proudly hang.
According to MLA Kamlesh Thakur, the Chief Minister grew emotional when he noticed “Ukere Guler” inscribed under the exhibits. “It is painful to see our own heritage preserved abroad, while in Himachal we are left with only duplicates,” Sukhu remarked.
The family spent over three hours admiring the collection, which bears testimony to the artistic genius of masters like painter Nayansukh. Once patronized by Haripur state—popularly known as ‘Chhoti Kashi’—these paintings narrated the cultural and spiritual stories of nearly 22 princely states of the region.
But today, the original treasures lie abroad, while in Himachal, the legacy remains celebrated mostly in name and imitation.
Kamlesh Thakur summed up the Chief Minister’s emotions: “He was proud yet saddened—proud that the world values Guler’s art, but sad that Himachal cannot showcase its own originals.”
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