Pichwai workshops and exhibition in Hyderabad to celebrate the 400-year-old art form

Jayesh Sharma, a ninth-generation artist from Nathdwara in Rajasthan, will conduct three workshops in Hyderabad, guiding beginners in the Pichwai art form. He and four other artists will also exhibit their Pichwai works at Parampara, a showcase by MeMeraki at the Crafts Council of Telangana, Hyderabad, from September 27 to October 3.

Pichwai, which derives its name from Sanskrit and translates to ‘that which hangs from the back’, dates back to the 17th century. These painted cloth scrolls, depicting devotional themes and stories, were hung behind the shrines of Krishna, or Shrinathji, and became central to the Pushti Marg worship.

The artists have passed on their skills across generations, and over time, Pichwai wall hangings have been adapted to suit both temple traditions and a clientele seeking artworks for their homes.

Pichwai artist Jayesh Sharma
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

“Jayesh Sharma is a ninth-generation Pichwai artist from Nathdwara, and his family has been connected to the Shrinathji temple tradition for over 400 years,” says Yosha Gupta, CEO and founder of MeMeraki, the online art and craft design studio.

Three workshops will be held at CCT Spaces, during which participants can learn the basics of the Pichwai style of drawing and painting on an A4 sheet of paper. “The workshop will keep it simple so that participants get hands-on experience and take home their creation with a sense of pride,” says Yosha.

MeMeraki mooted online art workshops during the lockdowns and has so far conducted nearly 2,000 workshops. “We conducted at least two workshops a day when most people were homebound during the pandemic. We now conduct offline workshops from time to time,” she adds.

An artwork by Naveen Soni
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The Parampara exhibition will showcase more than 50 Pichwai artworks by Jayesh Sharma, Dinesh Soni, Shehzaad Ali Sherani, Naveen Soni, and Trilok Soni. The exhibition is curated to give visitors an insight into the Pichwai — as a traditional art form, its evolution, and what the future holds. Yosha states that while the colours and materials may have witnessed a shift, the essence of the art form has not been tampered with. “The iconography — be it the deities (in the form of Shrinathji, Radha, the gopis), or the animal and nature-inspired motifs in the form of cows, peacocks, elephants and the kadamba trees — stays true to the traditional art form. But the abstraction allows for new interpretations for buyers who may want paintings that are reminiscent of their spiritual roots and yet do not appear too religious in a multicultural space.”

The Pichwai paintings range from bejewelled and multi-hued traditional representations of Shrinathji to minimalistic renditions of the lotus or the cow, or monochromatic paintings of devotional themes. “Pichwai on cotton cloth traditionally used natural pigments for colours. Mixing these colours is time-consuming and these artworks have always been priced higher, compared to the acrylic variations,” she adds. 

Artist Shehzad Ali Sherani
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

On view at Parampara will be Pichwai artworks with natural stone pigments, gold and silver leaf, and contemporary interpretations.

Yosha says Parampara has been in the making for the last eight months, with the artists creating specific artworks for the exhibition. MeMeraki has plans to host similar exhibitions and workshops in Chennai and New Delhi next. 

Hyderabad, she says, was the first choice owing to the steady online clientele the platform has enjoyed through its website (memeraki.com) and social media handles (@me_meraki on Instagram). Having participated in Design Democracy 2026 in Hyderabad last weekend, Yosha is enthused by the reception for premium artwork for decor in the city.

(Parampara will be on view from September 27 to October 3 at CCT Spaces, Road No.12, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad)

Published – September 24, 2026 07:00 am IST