Battle of Sarnal in Gujarat
Image source: collections.vam.ac.uk

Battle of Sarnal in Gujarat

Artist:Sanwala
Support Type: Paper
Paint Type: Watercolor
Current Location: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, USA
Location History:Battle of Sarnal in Gujarat is housed at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London but it is being featured in the major international exhibition "India's Great Mughals: Art, Power & Opulence" at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, USA. This painting is part of Akbarnama, V&A purchased the manuscript in 1896 from Frances Clarke, who was widow of Major General John Clarke, who bought it in India while serving as Commissioner of Oudh between 1858 and 1862.

Looking at this painting, you can instantly feel the wild, crowded energy of a battle unfolding right on the page. It depicts the Battle of Sarnal in Gujarat, and honestly, there is just so much happening all at once. A massive group of armored warriors on horseback are charging through the landscape, packed together almost shoulder to shoulder. You see helmets gleaming, swords drawn, shields held high, and long spears slicing through the air as the horses press forward across the dusty ground. Up at the top, a massive fortress wall with tall towers and a heavy arched gate stands against soft, rolling hills and a few quiet trees. It gives you a real sense of place, like they're fighting right outside the city walls. But the main action is definitely down below in the thick of the crowd. The artist filled almost every single inch with intricate detail, you can spot patterned cloth draped over the horses, bright blues, deep oranges, and greens in the soldiers' robes, and their intense faces as they ride headlong into the clash. Down in the bottom right corner, there are these tall, leafy green plants sticking out of the dry earth, grounding the scene in that specific, scrubby landscape. What really catches your attention is the rhythm of the movement... it feels fast and frantic, yet carefully arranged so each rider gets their moment. Some soldiers are looking back over their shoulders while others charge ahead, waving their weapons with complete determination. The faded, slightly worn paper around the border and the old handwriting at the very bottom margin remind you of how old this page actually is, like taking a quick peak directly into a centuries-old history book. It's not just a picture of a fight, but a vivid story captured in paint, full of grit, color, and motion that brings the historic moment back to life.

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Information Compiled by Krisha Lodhari
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