‘Dakhin | Dilli – A Sacred Dialogue’ and ‘Prints of Divine’: Two exhibitions on India’s devotional visual traditions

Two exhibitions titled Dakhin | Dilli – A Sacred Dialogue and Prints of Divine, curated by designer and cultural patron Raseel Gujral Ansal, will open at Bikaner House. The shows bring together a wide range of artworks exploring the depth and diversity of sacred imagery across the Indian subcontinent, spanning regions, traditions and centuries.

Together, the exhibitions present a layered narrative of India’s sacred visual heritage. Dakhin | Dilli – A Sacred Dialogue examines devotional traditions from North and South India, tracing shared motifs as well as distinct regional expressions. Through this curatorial framework, the exhibition highlights how faith, iconography and artistic practices have evolved across geographies while remaining deeply interconnected.

Running alongside this is Prints of Divine, which focuses on the transformative role of early Indian lithographic prints in popularising sacred imagery. Curated from the private collection of Delhi-based collector Prem Kandwal, the exhibition features 21 rare oleographs and devotional prints. Many of these works are associated with the renowned Raja Ravi Varma Press, which played a pivotal role in bringing religious imagery into everyday domestic spaces during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

The exhibition traces the evolution of print culture in India, showing how advances in lithography enabled the mass circulation of divine imagery, reshaping visual culture and devotional practices. By placing these prints alongside broader artistic traditions, the show underscores the intersection of art, faith and accessibility.

When: April 11 to May 10; 11 AM to 8 PM

Where: Arzaani Atelier Privé, Bikaner House, New Delhi