Origin and development

The essentials

After the Bahmani kingdom broke up, several independent sultanates arose in the Deccan, including Ahmednagar (Nizam Shahi), Bijapur (Adil Shahi) and Golconda (Qutb Shahi). These courts had close links with Persia, Turkey and the Arab world, and also with the older culture of southern India. Their paintings therefore show a blend of influences.

Deccani painting began in the second half of the 16th century, roughly at the same time as Akbar's atelier. Unlike Mughal painting, which became increasingly realistic, Deccani painting kept a more poetic, decorative and dreamlike quality. Even after the Mughal conquest of Ahmednagar (1600), Bijapur (1686) and Golconda (1687), Deccani painting continued in places such as Hyderabad.

Key points

• Rich, deep colours and generous use of gold.
• Tall, slender figures with small heads, wearing local southern-style costumes and jewellery.
• Women shown with long necks and elegant poses.
• Lush landscapes with exotic flowering plants and trees, often filling the background.
• High horizons and decorative skies, sometimes gold.
• Persian-style rocks, carpets and architectural patterns.
• Mood is often romantic, mysterious or mystical.

Exam tips

• Remember the three main sultanates and their dynasties.
• Key phrase for identification: "tall figures, gold, lush flowering landscape, dreamy mood".

Common mistakes

• Treating Deccani as a branch of Mughal painting; it developed independently in parallel.
• Confusing the Deccan (south-central India) with the Pahari hill states.