Sanjhi

Named for sanjh, the hour of dusk, Sanjhi is an ephemeral devotional art from Braj, where intricate designs are hand-cut into paper and arranged into symmetrical compositions inspired by Radha Krishna, nature, and the rhythms of devotion.

The image is first drawn and then meticulously cut into paper, before being laid upon a sacred surface and filled with powdered colour, flowers, stone, or foil. Each evening, a new composition may be created; in some temples, it is worshipped and then erased.

Rooted in the devotional traditions of Braj, the practice has survived through a small number of temple and artisan communities. Its delicacy lies not only in the precision of the cut, but in its intended impermanence.