Tribal Art

This folk art painting is known as ‘Saura painting’. The ‘Saura’

tribe of Orissa makes these paintings. The theme of this folk
painting has been drawn from their everyday life, showing
several rows of human forms engaged in daily or ceremonial
activities. In alternating set of rows, differing moods of dancing
and warring people are portrayed. Seated on horses or
elephants, men go on wars to protect the natural rhythm of life
back home. At the base of the painting, we see men around a
tree, signifying the close connection between man and nature.
Madhubani Paintings

Madhubani painting comes from the Indian villages of Madhubani and Mithila in Bihar. These
paintings are done on various mediums such as cloth, hand made paper and canvas. The main
themes of Madhubani paintings contain images of Hindu deities such as Krishna, Ram, Shiva, Durga,
Lakshmi and Saraswati. Also you will be able to find beautiful Madhubani paintings of sun, moon and
tulsi or the sacred basil plant revered very much by the Hindus. Scenes of royal courts and social
events such as celebration of wedding are also beautifully depicted in Madhubani paintings.The main
categories in Madhubani paintings are:

 Traditional
 Monochrome
 Tattoo
 Contemporary
 Animals and Birds
Technique: The art of Madhubani painting requires skill and implies a certain technique. This
technique requires simple raw materials that are easily located in villages such as bamboo sticks and
cotton.

Firstly the cotton is wrapped around a bamboo stick to serve as a brush. Then the brush is dipped in
colors and applied on to the fabric. No shading technique is used. The outline is done with double
lines. The gaps between the two lines are filled with cross or straight lines. Colors are not used in
linear paintings.

Vegetable colors are used making use of natural resources. For eg

 Black – By blending soot and cow dung

 Yellow - From turmeric, pollen, lime, milk of banyan leaves,
 Blue -Indigo
 Red - Kusam flower juice or red sandalwood
 Green - wood apple tree leaves
 White - Rice powder
 Orange - Palasha flowers

Madhubani paintings are pretty and well recognized by their distinct style of painting. Colorful and
vivid in their description and get, the Madhubani art form is well appreciated by one and all.
Madhubani paintings add a dash of vibrancy in the room and enhance its appeal when used as home
décor item.

Madhubani painting is an expression of day-to-day experiences and beliefs. Madhubani painting is a

traditional art symbolism, simplicity and beauty. In the Madhubani painting, the treatment of color is
beautifully done. The themes of daily activities, nature, flora and fauna and Hindu Gods are the most
prominent.

Madhubani paintings are characterized by the vibrant and bold use of colors and traditional geometric
patterns that supports the main theme. Some of the main attributes of all the Madhubani paintings
double line border, ornate floral patterns, abstract-like figures of deities and bulging eyes and a jolting
nose of the faces of the figures.

The Madhubani painting is a traditional folk art form which has succeeded in creating a place for itself
in the internationally and is recognized world wide.
The Ancient Indian Folk Art Tradition of
Warli

Indian Paintings have always been famous for super creative and imaginative work. Warli
Paintings are the ancient Indian folk art tradition of Warli Tribe in Indian state of
Maharashtra.  Walri or Varli tribe is an ancient East Indian Tribe of India. These tribes are
the scheduled Tribes of India. Warli is a small tribe inhabiting in the remote regions of
Maharashtra. The style is some what similar to the pre historic cave paintings.

The Origin:
It is not clear as to when this art of painting came into existence but historians believe that it
can be traced back to 2500 BC and 3000 BC. This art was first discovered in early seventies
of the last century. Since then the art has traveled across borders and has now become a
famous art found on various home décor products. These home décor product have an
international appeal and are in high demand.
These paintings don’t depict the Hindu Gods and Goddesses or any other deities rather they
depict the normal, day to day and social life of common people. These paintings are mainly
created on mud walls of tribal houses. Women are mainly engaged in the creation of these
paintings.

The style:
The trademark of Warli paintings is the use of geometric designs such as triangles, circles,
squares, dots and crooked lines. These geometric designs are used to depict human figures,
animal figures, houses, crops etc. The themes are often repetitive and symbolic in nature.
These paintings look complicated but if you practice they are easy.
In a loose rhythmic pattern, the day to day life scenes are depicted, the main images are of
human beings and animals. Painted white on mud walls, they are pretty close to the historic
cave paintings in execution and usually depict scenes of humans engaged in activities like
hunting, dancing, sowing, harvesting, going out, drawing water from well, drying clothes or
even dancing.

This art form is simple in comparison to the vibrant paintings from Madhubani. The only
color used in creating Warli paintings is white used on a red earthen background. This white
color is obtained from grounding rice into white powder.
Today Warli paintings on paper have become very popular and are now sold all over India
and across the world. The art has commercialized a bit, now days you’ll find home décor
items, fabrics, cushions wall hangings ect. painted in Warli style. But they look best on the
walls or in the form of huge murals that bring out the vast and magical world of the Warlis.

Warli has now become the fine "Indian tribal Art" and has made its way to the world
market and has become one of the priced possessions of art galleries and private collectors all
across the globe.
Pahari Paintings
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Pahari Paintings are literally, paintings from the hills of India, from the states of Himachal
Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, as well as some parts of Pakistan. These miniature paintings
became popular in the period from 17th to 19th century, under the patronage of Rajput kings.

While the style of these two schools is derived from the Mughal school of painting, the mood is not;
they are gentle, spontaneous and more lyrical. Characterised by delicate motifs inspired by nature
and the splendour of the Himalayas, Pahari Paintings epitomize the best of stylized Indian miniature
art. Sadly, this art began dying out decades ago when its royal patrons relinquished their kingdoms
to become a part of modern democratic India. The quality of brushwork began to deteriorate and
today, with a few exceptions the art of Pahari Painting of lore is virtually at an end.

 Pahari paintings have been widely influenced by the Rajput paintings, because their royal
patrons were related to the Rajput kings.
 Unlike the Rajput Kishangarh Paintings, which primarily had court themes and glimpses of
palace life, Pahari Paintings basically celebrated the beauties of nature, and the qualities of
love and devotion.
 Pahari Paintings are different from other types of Indian Folk Paintings because they use
shading extensively. This gives them a sense of depth which most other folk paintings lack.
 One of the most extensive and exquisite collections of Pahari miniatures may be found in the
Bhuri Singh
 Musuem in Chamba, Himachal Pradesh.

Types of Pahari Paintings:

Vishnu_Lakshmi_snake.JPG

Pahari Painting of Vishnu and Lakshmi on the snake of eternity. Kangra style, early 19th
century.
 .
Shiva_on_mount_kailasa.JPG

Pahari Painting. The family of SHiva on Mount Kailasa. Guler style, early 19th century.

Portraiture.JPG

Portraiture.Kangra Paintings from the Karan SIngh Collection.

Pahari paintings may be broadly classified into three distinct schools -- Basohli, Guler-
Kangra and Sikh.

Basohli paintings were characterised by geometrical patterns and bold colors. Some paintings
from this school are also known for their use of lustrous enamel colors. FIgures in Basohli
Paintings were often depicted in rich costumes with stylized faces, and large bulging eyes.
The best known paintings of this school are the Devi series, which depicted various
manifestations of the supreme goddess. These paintings were bold in execution and iridescent
beetles were used in the illustrations as jewels.

The Guler Kangra Style grew out of the dramatic changes in painting traditions around
1800. Figures and landscapes became much more natural-looking as this school employed
extensive shading. Artists from this school were also known for their idealisation of the
feminity of Indian women -- women's faces were so beautifully shaded and modelled that
atural they looked delicate and porcelain-like.

A number of factors have contributed to the development of Kangra style. The Mughal
technique of painting, the inspiration of Vaishnavism, the charm of Sanskrit poetry, the
beauty of the people of the Kangra Valley, and the lovely landscape of the Punjab Hills.
Together, these factors have imparted a delicacy and sensitiveness to Kangra Paintings that
set them apart from the rest of Indian Folk Paintings.

Kangra Paintings have some distinct characteristics –

 There was a lot of emphasis on landscapes, with very natural-looking trees.

 Kangra artists employed shading techniques, especially when painting trees and faces.
Different tones of green were used for painting trees, a device that enabled the depiction of
several local plants. The shading used imparted a sense of depth that set them apart,
especially from the flat Madhubani Paintings.
 The use of the colours in these paintings was both imaginative and pleasing. Colours were
beautifully balanced so no one shade stood out. The sky was generally shown as light blue
and at times as a greyish blue lending depth to the landscape.

The main centres of Kangra painting are Guler, Basohli, Chamba, Nurpur, Bilaspur and
Kangra. Later on this style also gained popularity in Mandi, Suket, Kulu, Arki, Nalagarh and
Tehri Garhwal. The famous Chamba Rumaal (handkerchief) with its fine and intricate
embroidery is also influenced by Kangra paintings. The Sikh School was the last phase in the
development of the Pahari painting, and was not as refined as the former schools. It was
apparent that this painting from the hills of India was quietly withdrawing from the stage of
Indian Art.

Themes and Motifs in Pahari Paintings

Unlike Rajasthani Paintings, which are often portraits of kings or depictions of splendid court
life, Pahari paintings deal with the subjects of love and devotion. Since they developed
around the same time as the Bhakti Movement, the two themes often interlinked. Hence,
many Kangra Paintings depicted the life and times of Krishna and Rama. In fact, they played
a significant role in broadening people’s understanding of the religious texts like Puranans
and Ramayana. Gita Govinda (the Divine Love Song) and the tenth book of the Bhagavata
Purana (the stories of Krishna) also provided evergreen themes.
 Tanjore paintings:

Tanjore (or Thanjavur or Thanjavoor) paintings have a very rich heritage. This
style of painting has been followed widely by the people in Southern Tamil Nadu
for the past two centuries. The art flourished in Tanjavoor, pronounced Tanjore,
the capital city of the Chola dynasty, and thus got its name. Maratha princes,
Nayaks of Vijaynagar dynasty, Rajus communities of Tanjore and Trichi and
Naidus of Madurai patronized the art of Tanjore painting from 16 to 18th
centuries. Tanjore paintings are deeply rooted in tradition and still innovative
within limits. This art is sacred and dedicated.

The paintings are notable for their adornment in the form of semi-precious
stones, pearls, glass pieces and gold. The rich vibrant colors, dashes of gold,
semi-precious stones and fine artistic work are characteristics of these paintings.
They add beauty and culture to a variety of surroundings and décor. The
paintings are mostly of Gods and Goddesses because this art of painting
flourished at a time when fine-looking and striking temples were being
constructed by rulers of several dynasties. The figures in these paintings are
large and the faces are round and divine.

Tracing its roots to the historical golden era of the early 18th century, Tanjore
artwork is one of the many indigenous art forms for which India is noted.
Originating in Tanjore about 300 kms from Chennai( Madras), which was the
then capital of the Gupta empire, this form of art developed at the height of
cultural evolvement achieved during that period.

Crafted with meticulous care the Thanjavoor (Tanjore) pictures are unique. What
sets them apart from Indian paintings in general are the embellishments made
over the basic drawings with precious and semi-precious stones as well as the
relief work which gives them a three dimensional effect. The pictures are of
various sizes, ranging from huge works spanning whole walls to small miniatures
no longer than 6-inch square.
 KALAMEZHUTHU
The art of creating very large pictures on floor, with coloured
powders have been in vogue for ages as a ritual art form. It is
typically Indian as it is a harmonic blend of Arian, Dravidian
and Tribal traditions. As an art form it has found a significant
place among our rich spectrum of fine arts. In most other
parts of India this art exists as a domestic routine of Hindus,
who consider it auspicious to draw certain patterns at the door
step and courtyard to welcome a deity into the house. It is
called by names like Rangoli, Kolam etc.

Kalamezhuthu is unique form of this art found only in Kerala.

Here it is essentially a temple art. The patterns to be drawn
and the colours chosen are traditionally stipulated, and the
tradition is strictly adhered to.

Kalams are drawn in connection with the worship of Devi, Naga and Sastha. Certain
variations of the rituals are found in Tantric rituals too. In each case the patterns,
minutest details, dimensions and colour choice are mandatory and not arbitrary. The
patterns vary considerably depending on the occasion, but rarely by the choice of the
artist. Even the order of creation is laid down.

The drawing is done directly with the hand, that is, without using any tools whatsoever.
The powders used are all natural (Vegetable or Mineral or combined). The usual items
used are: Rice (white), Turmeric (yellow), Charcoal from paddy husk (black), blend of
Turmeric powder and Lime (red) and powdered leaves (green). Although several leaves
are found suitable, the most commonly used are those of Albizzia lebbek.

The drawing of the large picture develops gradually about a central line, drawn with the
black powder. Sketching, if done, is also with powder only. The coloured picture is
developed patch by patch, growing outward.

Usually Kalamezhuthu is conducted as part of the general festivities in the temple, or as

part of a major ritual like Nagapuja. The rituals related to the Kalam are performed by
the artists themselves, usually the traditional drummers. Offerings like rice and other
grains are heaped in appointed places in and around the drawing and the room is
decorated with flowers, leaves and garlands. Lighting is of utmost importance in these
rituals. Only oil lamps are used. Singing hymns in praise of the deity is the most
important part of the ritual. The type of songs vary considerably (from folk to classical)
depending on the deity being worshipped. The drawing starts at appointed time and shall
be erased immediately after the rituals related to the Kalam are over.
 Pattachitra:

Sanskrit words patta, meaning canvas, and chitra, meaning picture.

Pattachitra is thus a painting done on canvas, and is manifested by rich
colourful application, creative motifs and designs, and portrayal of simple
themes, mostly mythological in depiction.

Palm Leaf Painting

Palm Leaf Painting or Patta Chitra is an ancient art form, which

was practiced in quite a few regions of India. If it was known as
patta chitra in Orissa, the Tamilians called it Olaichuvadi. This art
form was an offshoot of written communication on palm leaves. In
the pre paper days messages and letters were etched out on palm
leaves and dispatched. Slowly the text began to be embellished
with illustrations. Theses illustrations became an art Form itself.

Today this Art form is much respected and is still practiced in the
by lanes of Cuttak, Puri, Raghurajpur and Chitrakarashi.

Palm Leaf Painting-the technique:

Palm leaf painting or etching involves a few intricate steps:

 Rows of same sized palm leaves are first arranged together

and sewn.

 These neatly sewn palm leaves are then folded in such a way
so as to make a pile.

 These paintings are first etched out, which means that the
designs and images are neatly etched on the surface of the
palm leaf using a sharp pen like object.

 Ink (or a concoction of charcoal of burnt coconut shells,

turmeric and oil) is then poured along the lines; the lines are
now defined.
  Vegetable dyes are also added to give these paintings some
color, but these paintings are mostly, dichromatic (black and
white).

 The panels of the paintings are unfolded like a fan to reveal a

beautiful patta chitra.

Palm Leaf Paintings- the themes:

Mythological themes dominate most pattachitras; scenes from the

Hindu epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata are lovingly depicted.
Local legends and folklore too find their way into the paintings.
Radha and Krishna, Durga, Ganesha and Saraswati are the most
commonly used Gods and Goddesses.

In Orissa the legend of Lord Jagannath is used very frequently. In

Tamil Nadu, Lord Vishnu is the most popular icon; therefore he is
most commonly depicted in the palm leaf paintings.

The deliberate use of color schemes, costumes and postures in

these paintings tells us about the region they belong to.

Olaichuvadi of Tamil Nadu

This art form was experimented upon in Tamil Nadu where they were
converted into manuscripts. Sometimes they were shaped like temples,
with doors. Two wooden boards, either carved with floral motifs or
painted, were fixed on both ends of the palm leaf manuscripts to protect
them. Some palm leaf paintings had covers with ivory inlay work.

The Jain Palm Leaf Manuscripts of Gujarat

In Gujarat the Jains practiced the art of Palm leaf paintings under the
patronage of rich sea merchants. These Sea merchants established
libraries of paintings and documents to keep a record of the spread of
Jainism in Gujarat. The Jain God, Mahavira illuminated most of the Jain
Palm leaf manuscripts.

Palm Leaf Painting in the modern world

This ancient art form has found admirers far and wide. Not only does the
intricate designs and aesthetic depiction of Gods and Goddesses attract
ones attention, the use of the leaf adds to the quaint charm of the Art
form. This form painting is hailed as very eco friendly too. Today there
are small towns exclusively dedicated to this art form in Orissa. One can
visit the towns of Raghurajpur and Chitrakarashi to see the artists at
work. A first hand sampling of this art form is a must for all art lover s.