William Dalrymple Profile picture
Scottish historian & art historian; @EmpirePodUK podcaster & Jaipur Lit Fest co-director. Visiting Fellow at All Souls, Oxford. Writes the occasional book.

May 22, 2021, 6 tweets

The wanton part-destruction of the great Chamunda temple in Devi Kothi is so depressing. It is the Sistine Chapel of Pahari art, and the greatest surviving ensemble of Pahari paintings still in situ. India has such spectacular artistic heritage- and does so little to protect it.

The spectacular murals of Devi Kothi- left unprotected and now lost forever

The Demon Army attempts to challenge the Goddess

... But no demon can defeat the Goddess

Devi Kothi also had a spectacular cycle of Krishna murals

I twice made the four-hour trek into the Pir Panjal from Chamba- it was one of most memorable journeys I have made. Why was this supreme masterpiece of Hindu painting not protected?

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