https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Mola_RamMola Ram - Revision history2026-09-07T12:24:24ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mola_Ram&diff=152454&oldid=previmported>Yakku3: Added a source2021-08-13T14:57:51Z<p>Added a source</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Indian painter (1743–1833)}}<br />
{{For|the Indiana Jones villain|List of Indiana Jones characters#Mola Ram}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}<br />
[[File:Garhwal-mola-ram.jpg|thumb|A painting by Mola Ram depicting [[Shiva]], done in the style of the Garhwal School of Painting.]]<br />
[[File:Abhisarika-nayika-mola-ram.jpg|thumb|right|A painting by Mola Ram: ''Abhisarika Nayika'', "the heroine going to meet her lover". She turns back to look at a golden anklet, which has just fallen off. There are also snakes below and lightning above.]]<br />
<br />
'''Mola Ram''' or '''Maula Ram''' ({{lang-deva|मौला राम}}) (1743–1833)<ref name="k119">{{Harvnb|Kamboj|2003}}, p.119</ref> was an [[Indian art|Indian painter]], who originated the [[Garhwal division|Garhwal]] branch of the [[Kangra painting|Kangra school of painting]].<ref name="akc">{{Harvnb|Coomaraswamy|1969}}, pp.75–76</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Bhandari|first=Dr Mohan|date=2021-08-13|title=Garhwal School of Painting: Dev Bhumi, Veer Bhumi & Kala Bhumi|url=https://newsmeter.in/interviews/garhwal-school-of-painting-dev-bhumi-veer-bhumi-kala-bhumi-681873|access-date=2021-08-13|website=newsmeter.in|language=en}}</ref>He was also a poet, historian and diplomat.<ref name="kamboj">{{Harvnb|Kamboj|2003}}, p.25</ref> Much research about him was done by [[Mukandi Lal]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Chaitanya}}, p. 77</ref><br />
<br />
==Life and career==<br />
He was born in [[Srinagar, Uttarakhand|Srinagar]] (now in [[Uttarakhand]]) to Mangat Ram and Rami Devi<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.srinagargarhwal.com/srinagar-molaram-story.php|title=Mola Ram, Garhwal Paintings, Garhwal School of Painting, Barrister Mukandi Lal|website=www.srinagargarhwal.com|language=en|access-date=2018-09-25}}</ref> and worked for the [[Garhwal Kingdom]] from 1777 until its annexation first by the [[Gorkha Kingdom|Gorkhas]] in 1803 followed by the [[British Raj]] in 1815.<br />
<br />
It is said<ref name="hou">{{Harvnb|Hāṇḍā|2002}}, p.129</ref> that two miniature painters of the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal imperial court]] at Delhi, Sham Das and his son Har Das (or Kehar Das<ref name="kamboj"/>), accompanied Sulaiman Shikoh, the son of [[Dara Shikoh]], when he escaped from his uncle [[Aurangzeb]] in 1658 and sought refuge from Prithvi Shah of the Garhwal Kingdom, which had its capital in Srinagar. The painters remained in Srinagar as the royal ''tasbirdar'' (picture-makers), and developed the Garhwal style of miniature painting. Mola Ram was one of their descendants.<ref name="hou"/> The inception of the Garhwal school of painting is also sometimes credited to him. His son Jwala Ram and grandson Atma Ram continued the tradition, but further descendants suspected a curse and gave up painting.<ref name="kamboj"/> However, one of his descendants, Tulsi (often confused with Tulsi Mistri, another contemporary painter) was also a painter.<ref name="k119"/><br />
<br />
Mola Ram worked during the times of Garhwal rulers Pradip Shah, Lalit Shah, Jayakrit Shah and [[Pradyumna Shah]] from 1777 to 1804. He continued to work for the development of art and literature during the period of the Gorkha rule (1803–15) and the British rule over Garhwal.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
Mola Ram himself initially painted in the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] style until visiting [[Kangra painting|Kangra]],<ref>{{Harvnb|Kamboj|2003}}, p.28</ref> e.g. his painting ''Mastani'' is in the Mughal idiom,<ref>{{Harvnb|Chaitanya}}, p. 80</ref> while his later paintings, e.g. ''Vasakasajja Nayika'',<ref>{{Harvnb|Chaitanya}}, [https://books.google.com/books?id=aDo6x0OAdqAC&pg=PA32&dq=%22mola+ram%22 p.32]</ref> are in the Garhwal style, and can be called [[Garhwal Kingdom|Garhwali]] [[Paintings]] in true sense. Some of his paintings are signed.<ref name="akc" /><br />
[[File:Nain Singh Thapa dead.jpg|thumb|Poem and portrait of event of death of [[Kaji (Nepal)|Kaji]] [[Nain Singh Thapa]] in 1804-06 [[Gorkha]] conquest of [[Garhwal Kingdom|Garhwal]], by Poet Mola Ram]]<br />
He wrote the historical work ''Garhrajvansh Ka Itihas'' (History of the Garhwal royal dynasty) which is the only source of information about several Garhwal rulers.<ref>{{Harvnb|Hāṇḍā|2002}}, p.120</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Hāṇḍā|Jain|2003}}, p.21: "Mola Ram was witness to the collapse of dynastic rule, rise and fall of the tyrannical Gurkha hegemony through which he could steer well, and the British dominance in Garhwal. The upheavals through which the Garhwal kingdom passed during those days are most authentically recorded in his ''Garhrajvansh Ka Itihas''. This work of Mola Ram covers the history of Garhwal from the period of Sham Shah (AD 1550-1569) to the tyrannical days under the Gurkhas and British rule."</ref> He starts with Shyam Shah and goes on to describe Dularam Shah, Mahipati Shah, Pritam Shah, Medini Shah, Lalit Shah, and Jayakrit Shah.<ref>{{Harvnb|Hāṇḍā|2002}}, pp. 120–144</ref> He also wrote ''Ganika Natak'' or ''Garh Gita Sangram'' in 1800.<ref>{{Harvnb|Rawat|2002}}</ref> Mola Ram himself played a part in politics, helping Jayakrit Shah obtain help from Raja Jagat Prakash of [[Sirmur State|Sirmur]] to quell a rebellion at the battle of Karparoli.<ref>{{Harvnb|Hāṇḍā|2002}}, [https://books.google.com/books?id=7_Ct9gzvkDQC&pg=PA144&dq=mola+ram p.144]</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Chaitanya}}, [https://books.google.com/books?id=aDo6x0OAdqAC&pg=RA1-PA78&dq=%22Jagat%22 p.78]</ref><br />
<br />
Mola Ram wrote ''Garhrajvanshkavya'', ''Ran Bahadur Chandrika'', ''Shamsher-e-Jang Chandrika'', ''Bakhtawar Yash Chandrika'' and others.{{sfn|Regmi|1987|p=116}} When Kaji [[Bakhtawar Singh Basnyat]] reached [[Srinagar, Uttarakhand|Srinagar]] on 1867 [[Vikram Samvat|V.S.]] (i.e. 1810 A.D.), Mola Ram described the Gorkhali administration since 1861 [[Vikram Samvat|V.S.]] (i.e. 1804 A.D.). In appreciation of Mola Ram's works, Kaji Bakhtawar gave 61 gold [[Sovereign (British coin)|sovereigns]], a horse, a robe, some weapons and restored his [[jagir]] villages and daily allowances.{{sfn|Regmi|1987|p=116}} Mola Ram dedicated ''Bakhtawar Yash Chandrika'' in praises of Kaji [[Bakhtawar Singh Basnyat]]. He also wrote about the past, present, and future of the Gorkhali administration in Kumaon and Garhwal, which had predicted the possible collapse of Gorkhali rule as mentioned in his another work ''Garhrajvanshkavya''.{{sfn|Regmi|1987|p=116}}<br />
<br />
Mola Ram died in [[Srinagar, Uttarakhand|Srinagar]] in 1833.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
== Tribute ==<br />
A large collection of Mola Ram's paintings are preserved at the [[Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University]] Museum in [[Srinagar, Uttarakhand|Srinagar]], [[Uttarakhand]]. Some of his paintings can also be viewed at the [[Museum of Fine Arts, Boston|Boston Museum]], USA, at the [[Bharat Kala Bhavan|Bharat Kala Bhawan]] in [[Varanasi]], and at the [[Kasturbhai Lalbhai|Kastur Bhai Lal Bhai Sagrahaalaya]], [[Ahmedabad]].<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
[[Mukandi Lal]] wrote the book 'Garhwal Paintings' published by the Publications Division of Government of India in 1968 which traced the history of Garhwal school of painting showcasing Mola Ram's various paintings and sketches.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
==Bibliography==<br />
* {{citation | year=2002 | title = History of Uttaranchal | first=Omacanda|last=Hāṇḍā | publisher=Indus Publishing | isbn=978-81-7387-134-4 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7_Ct9gzvkDQC&q=mola+ram&pg=PA120}}<br />
* {{citation | year=2003 | title = Art & architecture of Uttaranchal | first1=Omacanda|last1=Hāṇḍā | first2=Dr. Madhu|last2=Jain | publisher=Bhavana Books & Prints | isbn=978-81-86505-65-6 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eOvVAAAAMAAJ&q=mola+ram}}<br />
* {{citation | year=2003 | title = Early wall painting of Garhwal | first=B. P.|last=Kamboj | publisher=Indus Publishing | isbn=978-81-7387-139-9 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yaBD20uaPfQC&q=%22mola+ram%22&pg=PA25}}<br />
* {{citation | title = A History of Indian Painting: Pahari Traditions | first=Krishna|last=Chaitanya | publisher=Abhinav Publications | year = 1982 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aDo6x0OAdqAC&q=%22mola+ram%22&pg=RA1-PA77}}<br />
* {{citation | year=2002 | title = Garhwal Himalayas: A Study in Historical Perspective | first=Ajay S.|last=Rawat | publisher=Indus Publishing | isbn=978-81-7387-136-8 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=olP_A60L-CMC&q=%22mola+ram%22&pg=PA61}}<br />
* {{citation | year=1969 | title = Introduction to Indian Art | first=Ananda K.|last=Coomaraswamy|author-link=Ananda Coomaraswamy | publisher=Munshiram Manoharlal, Delhi | edition=2}}<br />
*{{Citation |last= Regmi |first=Mahesh Chandra |title= Regmi Research Series |volume=19 |year=1987|publisher=Regmi Research Centre |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_2NDAAAAYAAJ&q=chandra+bir+kunwar}}<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
{{commons category}}<br />
* [http://www.srinagargarhwal.com/srinagar-art-molaram.php Mola Ram, Garhwal Paintings and Garhwal School of Painting]<br />
* [http://www.srinagargarhwal.com/srinagar-molaram-story.php The story of Mola Ram]<br />
<br />
{{authority control}}<br />
<br />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ram, Mola}}<br />
[[Category:Indian male painters]]<br />
[[Category:1743 births]]<br />
[[Category:1833 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:18th-century Indian painters]]<br />
[[Category:19th-century Indian painters]]<br />
[[Category:People from Uttarakhand]]<br />
[[Category:Painters from Uttarakhand]]<br />
[[Category:People from Pauri Garhwal district]]</div>imported>Yakku3