Basohli (town)

Basohli (formerly Vishwasthali) is a town near Kathua in Kathua district in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is situated on the right bank of River Ravi at an altitude of 1876 ft. It was founded by Raja Bhupat Pal sometime in 1635. It was known for the palaces which are now in ruins and miniatures paintings (Basohli school of Pahari painting). The Battle of Basoli was fought in this region. Basohli is located at . It has an average elevation of 460 metres (1509 feet). Basohli is situated in the uneven lofty hills of Shiwaliks. It is situated in the right bank of Ravi river. Basohli's Thein dam has made it almost landlocked. According to 2011 census, Basohli had a population of 5433. Males constituted 52.01% of the population and females 47.99%. Basohli had an average literacy rate of 77%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 57% of the males and 43% of females literate. 12% of the population was under 6 years of age. The religious distribution of the population is as follows - Hindu 83.01%, Muslim 16.38%, other 0.61%. Basohli is widely known for its paintings, which are considered the first school of Pahari paintings, and which evolved into the much prolific Kangra paintings school by mid-eighteenth century. The painter Nainsukh ended his career in Basohli. File:Radha and Krishna in Discussion.jpg|[[Radha]] and [[Krishna]] in Discussion, (An illustration from [[Gita Govinda]]) Gouache on paper (ca.1730). File:Goddess Bhadrakali Worshipped by the Gods- from a tantric Devi series - Google Art Project.jpg|Goddess [[Bhadrakali]], adored by the Gods. Basohli. India. c 1660–70. File:Maharaja Sital Dev of Mankot in Devotion.jpg|Maharaja [[Sital Dev]] of [[Mankot]] in [[:wikt:devotion|Devotion]], Ink, opaque watercolor, and silver on paper (ca. 1690). File:Ragaputra Velavala of Bhairava.jpg|[[Ragaputra Velavala]] of [[Bhairavi (Hindustani)|Bhairava]], opaque watercolour with gold on paper (ca. 1710). Basohli painting has obtained Geographical Indication (GI) Tag in March, 2023.