Rajasthan's Palace Painters experiencing high demand

Rajasthan's Palace Painters experiencing high demand by Mia knight

Rajasthan is known for its palaces, but the constant upkeep they require comes at a price.

Local tour guide, Devendra Singh Rathore, says that Amer fort and other palaces of Rajasthan are eternally being restored - by painters who are already in high demand from the general public.

“People with private buildings have to wait two or three years at a time [before they can have their own houses restored].”

11kms north of Jaipur’s city centre, Amer fort stands overlooking the Maota Lake and sees an average of 4000-5000 visitors enter its red sandstone walls every day.

The Fort is a protected world heritage sight and as such requires constant upkeep, says Rathore.

“Whenever they find any part of the painting or structure is damaged they repair it immediately.”

The restoration process must also be carried out in accordance with governmental guidelines, in order to preserve the history of Amer Fort and other palaces in the state.

“By law it must be done the traditional way, with all of the original materials...the government employs [an] expert team to make sure they are correctly using materials.”

The painters who keep Amer Fort looking its best earn on average 200-300 rupees per day, which is equivalent to roughly 4-6 Australian dollars.

While this may seem like a small amount, Mr Rathore says their employment gives the workers a sense of financial security.

Most of these workers operate under the MGNREGA scheme (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) of 2005 which guarantees workers 100 days of work per year.

“They’re appointed regularly here. It’s a very good source of employment, they are paid well, highly skilled worker[s].”

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Rajasthan's Palace Painters experiencing high demand by Mia knight

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