Molaram was the painter of :

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 4:
Molaram, or Mola Ram, is unequivocally recognized as the most significant painter of the **Garhwal** school of Pahari miniature painting. He served at the court of the Garhwal rulers in Srinagar (Garhwal) during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, a period considered the peak of the school. Molaram came from a lineage of artists and through his prolific and expressive work, he infused the style with a unique lyrical quality, specializing in subtle human sentiments and romantic scenes, particularly from the *Gita Govinda* and *Ramayana*. His figures are often delicate, with soft colours and gentle modelling, effectively making him the chief architect of the mature Garhwal style, which is often considered a close contemporary and offshoot of the Kangra school.

The incorrect option is 1:
Kangra is the most famous school of the Pahari style, flourishing under Raja Sansar Chand and is noted for its extreme delicacy of line, naturalism, and the lyrical treatment of Radha-Krishna themes. While many great artists worked in the Kangra valley, Molaram was not one of them; his career and patronage were firmly established hundreds of miles away in Garhwal. The artists of the Kangra school typically followed the refined and highly expressive aesthetic perfected by the family of Pandit Seu's son, Nainsukh, whereas Molaram cultivated the distinct Garhwal idiom.

The incorrect option is 2:
Basohli is chronologically the earliest of the major Pahari schools, predating Molaram's active period by nearly a century. This school is easily distinguishable by its stylistic features, which include strong, primitive vitality, flat, vibrant enamel-like colours (particularly the use of beetle wings for green), and stylized faces with large, expressive eyes. The Basohli style has a bold, hieratic quality, completely different from the gentle romanticism Molaram brought to the Garhwal style.

The incorrect option is 3:
Guler is considered the birthplace of the refined Pahari style, pioneered by the family of Pandit Seu in the mid-18th century, and is often seen as a precursor to Kangra. The Guler style bridged the gap between the bold Basohli work and the soft Kangra style, featuring exquisite drawing and a graceful naturalism. Although Molaram's family lineage may be traced back to the Guler family workshop, Molaram himself did not paint for the Guler court, but for the royal household of Garhwal.