Paintings in India have a long and glorious history in India. Some of the oldest works like those of Raja Ravi Varma have acquired the antique status long ago and are rarely in circulation. Desi paintings India has a number of variations. The cultural heritage of the nation itself being so very ancient and vibrant, it is only natural that art has flourished in this land for several centuries. India boasts of world class painters in modern times too. For a broad classification, one can divide these works into murals and miniatures. Murals are the larger works found on solid structures such as temples, palaces, or caves. Some of these date back to 5500 BC. The paintings at Ajanta & Ellora are classic examples of Murals. Miniature paintings have largely been executed on perishable mediums like cloth or paper. Some representative forms of Desi paintings India are dealt with in greater detail below:

The origin of Madhubani painting is shrouded in mystery. But, many believe this to have originated during the time of Ramayana. This is practiced largely in Bihar, India in the Mithila region.

Rajasthan is another Indian state. Rajasthani painting is another variation of Desi paintings India and is supposed to have flourished in the royal courts of Rajputana, India during the 18th century. Colors used for these works in those days often posed a great challenge. Plants, minerals, conch shells and other ingredients had to be processed over several weeks to obtain the desired colors. Certain colors even involved the processing of gold, silver and precious stones.

Mughal paintings enjoy a distinct place for itself. The unique blend of Islamic, Persian and Indian styles give them the seat of honor. In those days technology was nowhere in sight and the only means of recording major events in the visual format was through artists and their paintings