Indian Folk Paintings

Folk art is defined as ‘the art of common people expressed in simple language for educating and entertaining the simple village folk’. In this unit, we are to focus on the genre of Indian folk paintings, as they subsisted in the past and as they continue to exist in contemporary times.

India is largely a rural society and is rich in folk painting. Most folk painting is based on rituals and is performed on special social occasions.

Important aspects of Folk Paintings:

1. Their dances, music, poems and images largely depend on local gods and goddesses known as Grama devatas. The village’s annual festivals are also associated with the local gods and goddesses.
2. In folk paintings, all the artistic expressions are naturally expressed in a simple way.
3. The materials used for folk art are available nearby.
4. The objects created are used in everyday life.
5. Nature plays an important role – Seasonal observances have an impact on the folk painting.

Types of Folk paintings:

For the ease of understanding, we would like to classify the Folk paintings according to their cultural origin into following categories:

1. Tribal Paintings
2. Rural Paintings
3. Patta/scroll Paintings
4. Urban Folk art

We shall study prominent rural and tribal folk paintings in this chapter. Urban folk art shall be covered in the next chapter.

Tribal Art of India

GOND PAINTING:

The Gonds of MP and Chhattisgarh are one of the prominent tribes in India.  During the end of middle age, the eastern part of Madhya Pradesh was ruled by Gond kings and this region was called Gondwana.

Gond tribals are very fond of dance, music and storytelling. They have a long tradition of keeping their homes clean and well-decorated. Dr. Verrier Elwin, in his book “Tribal Art of Middle India”, discussed Gond art.

Themes and Motifs:

• The two sides of the main doors are painted with the figures of horses, elephants, etc. These motifs are symbols of permanence.
• White, red, yellow and black clay is painted, known as “Thingna”. The Thingna motif is geometrical and is painted with red, white, yellow and black earth colours.
• Images of birds, animals and human figures are painted on it, along with geometrical forms. This tradition is continuing among the Gond tribe.
• Jangarh Singh Shyam and Narmada from Pathangarh village of Mandala district of MP are famous for creative Gond paintings. Their works are well appreciated.
• The new generation of Gond painters uses canvas and paper to depict mythological stories and images of Hindu Gods and Goddesses. They are also using everyday life experiences as the theme of their painting.

Method:

• A mixture of cow dung and rice husk is used to make relief work on the wall of the sitting space and the main door.
• Material used for Pigment: They use locally available materials, viz. flowers, leaves, clay,
• Surfaces: They not only paint their homes but also paint their bodies with it. The courtyard and walls of their Homes are filled with a mixture of cow dung and black clay.
• They use bright colours. Paintings are embellished with colourful dots and lines.

SOURA PAINTING:

Soura Painting is done by the Soura tribe, one of the most dynamic and colourful tribes of Odisha.

It is not just an art form but has great utilitarian value. It draws inspiration and direction from their spiritual and religious beliefs. The Souras believe that their world is influenced by gods, and spirits of nature and of their ancestors. These unseen forces preside over the various aspects of life, with each force having its sphere of influence.

Theme and Description:

• The general format of the Soura art is in the form of a house, like a ‘Kothi’ (granary) in a rectangular or square shape filled with the dictates. It is filled with compositions of human and animal figures, called ‘Ittalam’.
• The ‘Ittalam’ is made for the spirit only, so the painter is sincere and doesn’t add any special effects.
• After the initial drawing, the artist sends that for suggestions from the priests. Then, according to the suggestion, the artist adds the necessary items.
• The painting consists of animate and inanimate objects, indigenous plants, animals, tools, instruments, etc. However, some everyday things like trains, cars, and aeroplanes are also introduced due to exposure to the outside world.
• The major colour used is white, obtained either from rice, ash, chalk or lime mixed with water.

These paintings, which function as motif offerings, represent the thoughts and remarkable dramatisation of the theological beliefs of the artists.

WARLI PAINTING:

Warli is the name of a tribe that resides in the Thane district of Maharashtra. The tribe has a longstanding tradition of ritual painting, mainly done on the occasion of marriages. These are done by by two or three ‘Savasini’, i.e. women whose husbands are alive.

This art was eventually discovered in the early seventies and became popular for its unique simplicity and fervour for life. It is also solely created in the interior walls of village huts.

Theme and Description:

• The figures are painted very finely and light on a dark background, resulting in a shimmering effect.
• Conceptually, the figures are given flat shapes of elementary geometric forms of straight lines.
• The tree symbolises prosperity, which is deep-rooted under the ground.
• Women are shown busy with ceremonial activities, each holding a plate with lamps and other offerings.
• Helical shapes of men and women and concentric circular designs in Warli’s Paintings are symbols of the circle of life.
• The harmony and balance portrayed is thought to mean the harmony and balance of the universe of discourse.
• During a marriage, generally over three days, an image of the goddess is also kept covered and later revealed to the bride and groom. This occasion is celebrated with great aplomb and drinking Tadi.

PITHORA PAINTING:

Pithora is folk art related to religious rituals among the Bhil and Rathwa tribes of Rajasthan, MP, and Gujarat. It is a tradition of wall painting related to religious rituals of Bhils and Rathwa in which paintings are made by the name of ‘Pithora Baapdev’.

The painting is made once a year on an inside house wall, where the Pithora is worshipped. The whole family and society gather for the purpose. These are usually made by men called ‘Likhandra’. Only a ‘Likhandra’ is entitled to write a Pithora in society, and no other person is.

Theme:

• Pithora Kunwar: Bhils firmly believes that wherever Pithora Kunwar resides, that house farm is filled with riches and prosperity. There is no fear of invisible bad energies and disease or external difficulties that do not enter the house.
• Local Heroes: Along with Pithora Kunwar, the stories of Indiraja, Kajal Rani, Dharmi Raja, Himala Behn, etc., are painted and sung.
• Horses are depicted the most in Pithora. The Bhils believe that their Gods manifest as horses, coming down to the earth and going back to heaven. Horses of Deshi Bhabhar are made right below horses of Pithora Baap Ji using white colour only. He is responsible for protecting the village. Pithora is the protector of the house, and Gramdhani is the protector of the village.
• Motifs displayed: farmer ploughing a field, cow-calf, monkey, well-pond, women churning curd, paniharin, bhisti, palm tree, tadi picking man, camel, king, dasamundya, snake, scorpion, lion, sun-moon, banyan tree, khajur, beehive, chhinalayi, shop, train, car, plane etc.
• Jami Mother: Land is referred to as the Jami mother. Gods live in the sky, whereas men, nature, flora, fauna, and air-water are on the land beneath. She is shown divided into four sections. All four sections are filled with separate colours and represent the four directions of the earth: east, west, north, and south.

Description

• Vegetable and clay colours are used to make Pithora paintings.
• Black colour is prepared using kohl, green colour from balod leaf, white from white clay (khadia), yellow from turmeric, saffron from red clay, blue from indigo etc.

Figure: A Pithora painting of the Rathava community, Gujarat

Rural Folk Art

Every region in India has had a distinct style of folk paintings associated with the local rituals associated with rural life. Many of these have been lost to time due to modernisation and fewer number of artists interested in continuing these arts. However, many such paintings have survived the test of time and are being protected in the present day by the efforts of local populations and the government.

MADHUBANI PAINTING:

Madhubani in Bihar is famous for its rich ritual of domestic painting tradition. Also known as Mithila art, it is said to have developed in the ancient city of Mithila, the birthplace of Sita. Traditionally these paintings were done by Brahmin and Kayastha women, so they are also known as kulin paintings.

Madhubani paintings were introduced to the Western world in 1934 through William G. Archer, a British officer of the Madhubani district, who was awestruck when he stumbled upon these artworks in the local residences. Madhubani paintings were only such paintings of its kind that survived and gained popularity outside of its native region.

Theme of Madhubani paintings:

1. The central themeis love and fertility. They often depict mythological and religious stories and scenes from daily life.
2. A special chamber called Kohbar is made during the wedding ceremonies.
3. Dualisms: opposites run in dualisms – day or night, sun or moon, etc. in the Madhubani Art
4. They also represent a holistic universe, inundated with deities, flora and fauna, among others.
5. The symbols from Buddhism, tantrism, Islamic Sufism, and classical Hinduism also have immense significance.

Method of Painting Madhubani art:

Traditionally, rice paste and vegetable colour were used by women to paint on the wall plastered with cow dung and mud. Today, it is depicted on cloth, canvas, and handmade papers.

• The sizes vary between fresco and miniature
• The painting is done with twigs, brushes, fingers, matchsticks, and nib pensusing natural dyes and colours.
• The faces are shown in profile; however, the eyes have a frontal view. The eyes are painted after the whole painting is completed.
• Traditionally, no empty space is left, and gaps are filled by different Eye-catching geometrical motifs and floral, animal, and bird pictures.
• It is known for its elaborate designs, bold lines, and bright colors.
• The painting is in 2D form as it has no depth in it.

Despite spreading beyond the geographical boundaries of Mithila and the skills being passed on through centuries, the style and the content have largely remained the same for years. To protect its original style, Madhubani painting got Geographical Indication (GI) status in 2007.

Today, it flourishes not only as a household art in the Mithila region but has gained worldwide recognition for its unique style and vibrant colors.

MANJUSHA PAINTING:

This painting is an ancient and historically significant art form of the Bhagalpur region, Bihar. Manjusha art is also referred to as Snake paintings, as swirling snakes in the art depict the central character in Bihula’s tale of love and sacrifice.

A recent study on this art gives us an excellent example of how it reflects the history of ancient Mahajanapada named Anga.

Description of Manjusha Painting:

• It is a line drawing art and is also a type of Scroll Painting, but mainly done in miniature style, as a single-frame Painting.
• The art is restricted to the use of three colours, viz. pink, green, and
• There are five types of borders used: Lehriya, Belpatr, Srp ki ladi, Tribuj, and Mokha.
• The Characters are displayed in the X-shape.
• Major Motifs are Snake, Champa Flower, Moon, Sun, Turtle, Elephant, Fish, Kamal Flower, Kalash Pot, Arrow Bow, Tree ShivLing, etc.

Scroll Paintings

When a painting is done on a long continuous strip of paper or vellum, it is known as the Scroll. Scrolls can be of two types, hanging (vertical) scroll or horizontal scrolls.

Generally, such paintings are used to describe a long story, with several scenes in it.

Folk art is a medium of communication and entertainment. Earlier, in the absence of cinema, radio, and television, the only source of entertainment in the people’s lives was story telling. The scroll or Phad painting or Pattachitra or Patua is the oldest form of storytelling in India.

The scroll Paintings emerged in the Pala (Eastern school of Painting) and the Apbhramsa (Western school of Painting) schools. Most schools of Miniature paintings that we discussed in the previous chapter have produced Scroll Paintings.

Now let’s see a few scroll paintings produced in the folk traditions in India.

PATTACHITRA

Pattachitra means scroll painting. It is made up of two words, patta and Chitra, where patta means cloth and Chitra means painting. It is the traditional painting of the state of Orissa, India. It is generally religious in nature.

Theme: It is based on Hindu Mythology and inspired by Jagannath and Vaishnava cults. These paintings carry motifs similar to that of the Paintings on the cave walls of Khandagiri and Udayagiri, Konark temple, and many other temples in Orissa.

Description:

• Painted on canvas (Patta), which is a small strips of cottoncloth using oil colours.
• Preparation of Canvas: The canvasis prepared by coating it with a mixture of chalk and gum, which is generally made from tamarind seeds. This delivers the cloth’s surface a leathery finish on which the painter paints with earth, vegetable, and stone colours.
• Later, it is rubbed with 2 different stones, and then the cloth is dried.

Traditionally, the painters are known as Chitrakars. His home is his studio.

• The master hand (mostly the male member of the family) draws the initial line and gives the final finishing. No pencil or charcoalis used for the preliminary drawings. They simply draw directly with the brush, either light red or yellow.
• Later, the final lines are drawn, and the patta is given a lacquer coating to protect it from harsh climate, which also makes the painting glossy.
• The Female members of the family prepare the glue and the canvas, apply colours, and give the final coating of lacquer.

Pattachitras are painted in five natural colours – Hingula, Haritala, Kala, Sankha and Geru.

PAITKAR PAINTING:

It is a folk-art form that is only practised in Amadubi village in the Dhalbhumgarh area of Jharkhand’s East Singhbhum district. The paintings were created by Bengali painters known as ‘Chitrakars’ (picture-makers).

Paitkar paintings are traditionally done in scroll style, with a series of pictures that tell a tale. This makes it a subset of patachitra scroll art. The format of this scroll painting is vertical.

Themes of Paitkar Paintings:

1. The paintings depict fascinating stories about the origins of life, Hindu history and legends, and popular legends and folk tales.
2. Tribal lifestyles, rituals, and festivals: The usual subjects or contents of Paitkar painting are the fairs and festivals, social life of Santhals, Flora and Fauna, etc.

Description:

• Pigment: Natural elements like stones, leaves, flowers, and tree bark are utilised to create the colours used in paintings. To make the colours, artists ground the leaves or flowers into a paste, then squeeze the paste to extract the juice. The juice is then cooked until it reaches the proper consistency. The paint is blended with natural gums collected from the babool tree to make it persistent on paper. The gum also gives the paint a gloss.
• Coconut shells are used to keep the produced colours.
• The paint brushes used to be manufactured locally from squirrel and goat hairs.
• Handmade paper and canvas cloth have taken the position of palm tree leaves as drawing mediums.
• The form is relatively straightforward, with a thick contour line.
• The majority of the painted space is occupied by human characters. These characters can be found in both profile and semi-profile with an extended eye. It has a strong sensuality in it.

Paitkar is gradually losing its elongated shape and surviving in the tourist industry as a single-frame painting.

PHAD PAINTING:

The Phad is a long picture scrolls of Rajasthan. These are produced by the ‘Joshis’ of Rajasthan. However, the Joshi community opened this art to all after the Indian independence.

Traditionally, The Phad painters produce their paintings for the wandering singers and storytellers, who provide nightly entertainment for village audiences. These singers are always a couple known as `Bhopa’ (male priest) and ‘Bhopi’ (female priest). The man plays a one-stringed instrument (Iktara) while the woman joins him in singing. An important feature is the ritual oil lamp held by `Bhopa’ or ‘Bhopi’ during narration.

Themes of Phad Paintings: The classic compositions illustrate stories from famous epics such as ‘Devnarayan Ki Phad’ and ‘Pabuji Ki Phad.’ The painted themes are built around local legends, especially heroic tales of ‘Pabuji’ and ‘Devnarayana’ (Deviji), the local deities. Other stories from ‘Ramayana’ and the life of Lord Krishna are also painted on Phad to provide entertainment.

Description:

• The Phad may be painted horizontally. Each panel is separated from the other by an imaginative geometrical design.
• In the present times, many small panels are also painted in the same style, enclosing one or two figures and their tales.
• The depiction of animals like elephants and horses and supplementary figures such as snakes, birds, trees and flowers are also incorporated.
• The colour range is very limited and contains only a few basic shades like red, white, black, orange The colours used are warm and decorative.

KALIGHAT PATACHITRA:

Kali temple of Kolkata is a famous pilgrimage for Hindus. Image-makers of gods and goddesses reside in the nearby areas known as Patua pada. These image-makers or Patuas make images of different gods and goddesses all through the year to supply for both personal and community worshipping. These Patuas also make paintings in their typical style, known as Patachitra.

Theme and Description:

• The painters used very simple materials like paper, cloth, and earthen pots.
• Though traditionally they used vegetable colours, they now opt for readymade colours from the market.
• Patuas have been using the same themes for these paintings for a hundred years. The images of gods and goddesses are predominant, but during the beginning of the 20th Century, Patuas painted themes related to social, political and economic problems.

At present, they limit themselves to painting the images of gods and goddesses like Durga, Kali, Saraswati, etc.

Later these paintings developed into single frame art, that we shall read this topic in detail in the next chapter.

KALAMKARI PAINTING

The word Kalamkari is derived from the Persian words Kalam (Pen) and Kari (work). Only a pen was used in the early days. Later, in the Masulipatnam style both the pen and block prints were introduced.

In the Medieval times, kalamkari could have meant any type of pen-art using vegetable dye. In that sense, it is same as the Patachitra Art.

Kalamkari paintings developed around temples of Srikalahasti town in Andhra Pradesh. The paintings include scroll paintings, a backdrop of the images in the temples, patchitra for Rathas, etc.

Generally, the chitrakars (painters) moved from village to village telling stories about Hindu mythology with the help of these paintings. As was the pattern in the medieval times.

These paintings are used as prayer mats, marquees, etc., and are decorated with birds, animals and floral design motifs. These paintings are exported to middle eastern countries. Since the British rule, these are being used as garments, curtains and bedsheets.

It has two subtypes:

1. Mausalipatnam-style paintings focus on Islamic aesthetics, and the ripe fruits are used to colour the paintings.
2. Srikalahasti-style dress paintings are based on Hindu mythology, and the colour is drawn from raw fruits. The themes are mainly taken from Ramayana and Mahabharat.

Features of Kalamkari:

• The art was exclusive to cotton fabric.
• Process: washing, rinsing, soaking and bleaching the fabric and applying mordants and dyes using natural substances like indigo, madder, mango bark and palm sugar.
• Material: Rusted iron, tamarind twigs, alum, cow’s milk and cow dung are also used as raw material.
• Block Printing: The borders and main figures are done with block printing,
• Pen: colours are painted with a pen, using a kalam, charcoal and myrobalan paste.
• Elements: Floral design is more prominent. The themes were restricted to Hindu religious subjects. New themes, like stories from the Panchatantra, were also introduced.

Srikalahasti Ganesha – Kalamkari painting

Srikalahasti Ganesha is the representative of this style: It shows Lord Ganesha with four arms, at the centre of the composition, with an area behind his head. There are well-decorated borders on the four sides of the picture. The borders on the edges are broader than inside. These have floral motifs. The base colour of the borders is yellow. Different shades of blue are used to decorate Ganesha. The aura is painted in red and brown colours. These colours are from natural and vegetable sources. The image is holding a conch shell (Shanka), lotus and sweet (Modak) in three hands, and the fourth-hand shows ‘Abhaya Mudra’ (Protection). The well-proportioned figure is full of expressions. The lotus petal motifs of the border are repeated here.

Kalamkari art is a laborious process involved with every painting takes around 40-50 days, depending on the climatic conditions. Due to its immense legacy, the Karuppur Kalamkari paintings recently received geographical indication (GI) tags.

Conclusion:

The painting’s journey began thousands of years ago, and it continues to depict narratives to people who are from a different time and spaces. This journey will continue, and since the distant future is not known to us, we do not know how it will be then. Whatever it may be, humans would continue narrating their tales through paintings, and the images would grant us a vista to explore further into the human mindscape and understand it in its multiple contexts and levels.

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