Art and architecture Among the arts of Himachal Pradesh, painting is the most popular. The central theme is usually love. It is said that when the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, in his puritanical zeal, was driving out the artists from his court, they found refuge in the small principalities of the Himalayan foothills. The influx of artists from the Mughal court, therefore, helped to strengthen and develop the artistic tradition of these regions. Himachal crafts include the exquisitely designed shawls of Kinnaur along with the baskets and earthenware of Lahaul and Spiti and the pattu of Kulu.

Carving detail on the upper balcony of the Bhimkali temple, Sarahan. Credit: Karamjeet Singh

The typical Pahari style of temple architecture shows a significant variation in Kinnaur with a fusion of the pent roof and the pagoda roof. The Bhimkali temple at Sarahan is perhaps the most spectacular example of this fusion. The entire upper section of the temple has exquisitely carved cedar wood panelling.