ToniaMirams219 at 14:16, 19 April 2026

2026-04-19T14:16:36Z

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{{Short description|Hill state in present-day Himachal Pradesh, India (1247–1813)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2017}}
{{Infobox former subdivision
| native_name =
| conventional_long_name = Guler State
| common_name = Guler
| nation =
| status_text = [[Monarchy|Kingdom]]
| capital = Haripur Guler
| era =
| year_start = 1247
| date_start =
| event_start = Foundation of the state
| year_end = 1813
| date_end =
| event_end = Annexation by the [[Sikh Empire]]
| event1 =
| date_event1 =
| p1 = Kangra State
| s1 = Sikh Empire
| flag_p1 = Flag of Kangra state.png
| flag_s1 = Sikh Empire flag.svg
| image_flag =
| image_coat =
| image_map = Detail of the main, continuous tract of territory of Guler from a map of the various Hill States of the Punjab Hills region, copied in 1852.jpg
| image_map_caption = Detail of the territory of Guler from a map of the various Hill States of the Punjab Hills region, copied in 1852
| stat_area1 = 65
| stat_year1 =
| stat_pop1 =
| today = [[Himachal Pradesh]], [[India]]
| footnotes =
| leader1 = Hari Chander
| title_leader = [[Mian (title)|Mian]]/[[Raja]]
| year_leader1 = 1247–1267<small>(first)</small>
| leader2 = Bhup Singh
| year_leader2 = 1790–1813<small>(last)</small>
}}

'''Guler''' was a minor chieftaincy<ref>{{cite book |last1=Raza Khan |first1=Ahsan |title=Chieftains in the Mughal Empire During the Reign of Akbar |date=1977 |publisher=Indian Institute of Advanced Study |isbn=9780896843769 |page=45 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=shAdAAAAMAAJ&q=guler}}</ref> in the Lower [[Himalayas]]. Its capital was the town of [[Haripur Guler]], in modern-day [[Himachal Pradesh]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tribune Web Desk |date=28 June 2024 |title=Monumental neglect: Haripur-Guler's world-class heritage breathing its last |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/monumental-neglect-haripur-gulers-world-class-heritage-breathing-its-last-634767 |access-date=14 August 2024 |website=The Tribune}}</ref> The kingdom was founded in 1415 by [[Raja]] Hari Chand, a scion of the ancient royal family of [[Kangra State|Kangra]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Sharma |first=Vijay |title=Painting In The Kangra Valley |date=2020 |publisher=Niyogi Books |isbn=978-93-89136-65-4 |location=New Delhi, India}}</ref> The etymology of the word Guler can be traced to the word Gwalior, meaning the abode of cowherds. One of the foremost schools of [[Pahari painting|Pahari miniatures]] is named after this small principality.<ref name=":0" />

Guler State is famous as the birthplace of [[Kangra painting]] when in the first half of the 18th century, a family of [[Kashmir]]i painters trained in the [[Mughal painting]] style sought shelter at the court of Raja Dalip Singh ({{reign}} 1695–1741) of Guler. The rise of [[Haripur Guler#Guler Paintings|Guler Paintings]] or Guler style started what is known as the early phase of Kangra art.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://hillpost.in/2005/03/guler-style/93/ |title=Hill Post - Guler Style |date=23 March 2005 |access-date=4 July 2014 |archive-date=14 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714130630/http://hillpost.in/2005/03/guler-style/93/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Miniature painting of Raj Singh of Guler, also known as Raja Gopal, standing on a terrace whilst holding a flower.jpg|thumb|Painting of [[Raja Gopal (Guler)|Raj Singh of Guler]]]]

===Early history===
According to legends, the Guler State was founded at an uncertain date between 1405 and 1450 by Raja Hari Chand.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=N. K. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pR5p2ZLQU8AC |title=Coronation of Shiva: Rediscovering Masrur Temple |date=2009 |publisher=Har-Anand Publications |isbn=978-81-241-1478-0 |location=New Delhi |page=83 |language=en}}</ref> Hari Chand fell into a dry well while hunting.<ref name=":1" /> Since no one could find him, the Hari Chand was presumed dead and his brother was then named the Raja of [[Kangra State]].<ref name=":1" /> When Hari Chand was eventually brought back alive from the well, instead of fighting for his rights to the throne, he founded the town of Haripur on the valley below the fort by the [[Banganga River (Himachal Pradesh)|Banganga River]].<ref>Mark Brentnall ''The Princely and Noble Families of the Former Indian Empire Himachal Pradesh,'' vol. I: Himachal Pradesh, Indus Publishing, 2004, {{ISBN|8173871639}}, {{ISBN|9788173871634}}, p. 304</ref>

===Sikh Empire and British Raj===
In 1813, Guler state was annexed by the [[Sikh Empire]] under [[Maharaja]] [[Ranjit Singh]]. Bhup Singh (1765 - 1826) was the last ruling king. He was given a [[Jagir]] in Nandpur by [[Ranjit Singh]] in 1826. The Jagir was recognized by the [[British Raj|British government]] in 1853. In 1877, his son Shamsher Singh died without male heirs and the state lapsed.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Hutchison |first1=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3btDw4S2FmYC |title=History of the Panjab Hill States |last2=Vogel |first2=Jean Philippe |date=1994 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |isbn=978-81-206-0942-6 |location=New Delhi |pages=206–207 |language=en}}</ref>

==Rulers==
A list of rulers of the Guler state who formerly bore the title [[Mian (title)|Mian]] and later '[[Raja]]'.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.worldstatesmen.org/India_princes_A-J.html |title=Princely states of India |access-date=4 July 2014 |archive-date=20 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130520133316/http://www.worldstatesmen.org/India_princes_A-J.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Rajas ===

* 1247–1267: Hari Chander
* 1271–1292: Gun Chand
* 1293–1310: Udhan Chander
* 1310–1333: Swaran Chand
* 1333–1347: Gyan Chander
* 1348–1367: Narender Chander
* 1367–1389: Udhen Chander
* 1389–1414: Rattan Chander
* 1415–1433: Garud Chander
* 1433–1438: Gambhir Chand
* 1448–1464: Abhay Chander
* 1464–1471: Uttam Chander
* 1481–1503: Prithvi Chander
* 1503–1526: Karan Chander
* 1526–1550: Ram Chand (Fifteenth ruler)
* 1550–?: Jagdish Chand
* 1568–?: Rup Chand
* ...
* 1635–1661: Man Singh
* 1661–1675: Vikram Singh
* 1685–1695: [[Raja Gopal (Guler)|Raja Gopal Singh]] (also known as 'Raja Raj Singh')<ref>{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Harbans |title=The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism |publisher=Punjabi University |location=Patiala |year=2011 |isbn=978-81-7380-204-1 |edition=3rd |volume=2: E-L |pages=103}}</ref>
*1695–1741: Dalip Singh (born 1688 – died 1741)
*1695–1705: Bilas Devi (f) - Regent
*1730–1741: Govardhan Singh - Regent (born 1713 – died 1773)
*1773–1790: Prakash Singh (born 1748 – died 1820)
*1790–1813: Bhup Singh (born 1765 – died 1826)
*2000–Present: Abhishek Guleria (Continue the journey, maintaining the Legacy)

== Guler paintings ==
The Mughals had a considerable impact on the socio-cultural and political sphere of the hilly areas. The Mughal influence provided an important impetus to the development of the Guler School, as the rulers started to take an active interest in promoting and patronizing art as the Mughals did.<ref name=":0" /> According to recent research works, the tradition of painting was already present in the second half of the 17th Century in the Pahari areas of [[Basohli (town)|Basohli]], [[Chamba, Himachal Pradesh|Chamba]], and [[Nurpur kingdom|Nurpur.]] This period saw monochrome drawings and the prevalence of warm primary colours used by the painters. These paintings however lacked the fine, intricate details seen in [[Mughal painting|Mughal miniatures]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Chandramani |title=Centres of Pahari painting |date=1982 |publisher=Abhinav Publ |isbn=978-0-391-02412-0 |location=New Delhi}}</ref>
[[File:Painting of Mian Gopal Singh playing chess with Pandit Dinamani Raina. Ascribed to Pandit Seu of Guler. Dated ca.1720–1725.jpg|thumb|Painting of Mian Gopal Singh of Guler (left) playing chess with Pandit Dinamani Raina (right). Ascribed to Pandit Seu of Guler. Dated ca.1720–1725.]]
In ''Dilparanjani'', one of the verses mentions the name of Rajguru Dinamani Raina, one of the painters of Guler, along with Chaturbhuj Purohit, one of the royal preceptors famous for his knowledge of mythological texts. Contemporary portraits of both these figures are known and have been catalogued.<ref name=":0" /> The Kashmiri painters, who earlier enjoyed prestigious positions under the Mughals, were dispossessed after the ascendancy of [[Aurangzeb]] and were forced to migrate in search of patronage from the Rajput rulers.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Painted visions: the Goenka collection of Indian paintings |date=1999 |publisher=Lalit Kala Akademi |isbn=978-81-87507-00-0 |editor-last=Goswamy |editor-first=Brijinder N. |location=New Delhi |editor-last2=Lalit Kalā Akadami}}</ref> Accordingly, a family of Kashmiri painters, Hasnu and his sons Seu, Billu (Billand) and Raghu, settled at Guler towards the last phase of the 17th Century and introduced a new style of painting that was characterised by a high degree of naturalism in addition to the Mughal conventions which these painters brought with them.<ref name=":0" /> This family having set up a workshop at Guler, began working in the court. An inscription in Guler ''bahi'' at Haridwar mentions this lineage as ''<nowiki/>'vamsa h ka'<nowiki/>'', and even later Pandit Seu's son [[Nainsukh]] had identified Hasnu as his grandfather in a detailed ''bahi''-entry written by him, at [[Haridwar]] in 1763.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Goswamy |first1=Brijinder Nath |title=Nainsukh of Guler: a great Indian painter from a small hill state |last2=Kuprecht |first2=Andrea |last3=Tyebji |first3=Salima |date=2011 |publisher=Niyogi books |isbn=978-81-89738-76-1 |edition=Reprint |location=New Delhi}}</ref> ''Bahis'' are records maintained by priests at Hindu worship sites of the pilgrims visiting these places for ceremonies, etc. While [[Manaku of Guler|Manaku]] is said to have noted the earliest inscription of this painter-family at a bahi in Haridwar, where in 1736, he along with his cousins wrote the entry in the Takri script identifying the group as ''<nowiki/>'vasi Guler ke'''. Manaku was Seu's eldest son.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Goswamy |first=Brijinder Nath |title=Manaku of Guler: the life and work of another great Indian painter from a small hill state |date=2017 |publisher=Artibus Asiae Publishers, jointly published with Niyogi Books |isbn=978-93-85285-82-0 |series=Artibus Asiae. Supplementum |location=New Delhi, India}}</ref> Later, while Manaku worked at Guler, Nainsukh migrated to [[Jasrota]] court, and in his oeuvre that flourished under the patronage of Raja Balwant Singh, the Guler paintings reached their state of maturity and creative finessee.<ref>[http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/asia/asia_features/sikhism/art/hindu/index.html Hindu Hill Kingdoms] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100330034200/http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/asia/asia_features/sikhism/art/hindu/index.html|date=30 March 2010}} ''[[V&A Museum]]''</ref>

The portraits of the Guler school show close proximity with those of the Mughal school, suggesting that Seu, and his songs Nainsukh and Manaku, had borrowed extensively from the traditions of Mughal miniatures. Apart from portraits, the rulers, particularly Raja Govardhan Chand, under whose patronage Manaku worked, commissioned paintings on a variety of subjects such as the [[Bhagavata Purana]] and the [[Gita Govinda]].<ref name=":0" /> Youthful female faces, well-rounded, and definite in shape - as seen in the painting ''Lady Smoking a Huqqa at the Terrace'', became a prototype for the depiction of female figures in the Bhagavata Purana, and Gita Govinda series. Developed by the two brothers Manaku and Nainsakh, these features exhibited a fine perfection of the Guler school and were also adopted by the later-generation painters.<ref name=":0" /> These next-generation painters transformed the style, and more subtle pictorial landscapes, and stylized bodily features, especially the depictions of female bodies, colour choices, etc, underwent considerable changes. For Khandalavala, the roundish female faces of the first half of the 18th Century were typical of what he called the Bhagvata face.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pahari Miniature Painting |url=http://www.indianculture.gov.in/ebooks/pahari-miniature-painting |access-date=2023-06-02 |website=INDIAN CULTURE |language=en |archive-date=14 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240814224115/https://www.indianculture.gov.in/ebooks/pahari-miniature-painting |url-status=live }}</ref> Manaku-Nainsukh's slender female forms clad in ''[[ghagra choli]]'', are replaced by fuller forms wearing [[Peshwaj|peshwaz]] by the later artists. While the Guler paintings depicting [[Barahmasa|Baramasa]] and ''Bihari Satasi'', composed in oval formats, capture the subtle sentiments of love and human emotions. However, by the end of the 19th Century, the splendour of the Guler school had declined as artists began to produce cheap copies, and laborious processes of making colours and pigments were discarded as chemical paints became available in the market. The artists next started to paint under Sikh chieftains, as the [[Janamsakhis|Janamsakhi]] paintings reveal. This was facilitated by the consolidation of Sikh power at the same time.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" />

==See also==
*[[List of Rajput dynasties]]
*[[Kangra painting]]
*[[Pahari painting]]
*[[Bashohli]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |author=Kossak, Steven | title= ''Indian court painting, 16th–19th century.'' | location=New York | publisher=The Metropolitan Museum of Art | year=1997| isbn=0870997831 | url=http://libmma.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p15324coll10/id/12335/rec/74}} (see index: p. 148-152, for more information about Guler Painting)

==External links==
*{{commons category-inline|Guler style}}

{{Princely states of the Punjab and Simla Hills}}
{{Princely states annexed by British India}}
{{coord|32.0|N|76.16|E|region:IN_type:landmark_source:kolossus-svwiki|display=title}}

[[Category:History of Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Kangra district]]
[[Category:Schools of Indian painting]]
[[Category:Rajput history]]
[[Category:Vassal and tributary states of the Mughal Empire]]

Guler chieftaincy - Revision history

ToniaMirams219 at 14:16, 19 April 2026