Posthumous portrait of Raja Chhatar Singh of Chamba smoking a hookah with his brother and son

Curatorial Overview

“King Chhatar Singh (reigned 1664–90), his thinning facial hair shot through with gray, points to his heart, a gesture common in images of the deceased. With his right hand he grasps the pipe of a hookah, connecting him to his son Udai Singh, who holds the rim of its base. The king’s sword points directly to the boy, further linking them visually. Since hookah smoking connoted elite royal status in Pahari portraiture, this image suggests the passing of power from father to son.”