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‘That’s not art, it’s craft!’
Even if you are not clued into art, it is highly likely you have heard this, even in passing reference. Yet, so many artists like K.G. Subramanyan, K.K. Hebbar, Jamini Roy, Jogen Chowdhury have found their inspirations from this genre.
Even as galleries and institutions have ‘academised’ art and made it accessible and understandable to a few, the rich tapestry of Indian folk art has lasted centuries, living and breathing with their creators.
The scene for Indian folk art has, of course, changed over the decades. Once undervalued, select folk art and artists are increasingly getting more space and importance in art galleries, and museum collections and auction house brochures.
To be sure, very few folk artists have achieved any kind of critical or commercial success; for the most part, folk art has been relegated to the background as a poor cousin. Lacking exposure, appreciation and patronage, folk artists seem to have lost their understanding of the beauty in their works.
As India completes 75 years of Independence, we bring you a list of 75 folk artists, activists, institutions and places that are reviving and reinterpreting folk art for the consumption of present-day India. And sometimes, they have heroically continued to do what they do best in spite of struggles along the way.
(Note: There are so many good folk artists in every state that it is impossible to mention all of them, especially when some are living and working on the sidelines. Not only artists, there are so many folk arts, like Gambhira art of West Bengal, Kavad art of Rajasthan, Etikopakka dolls of Telangana, and surely more which haven’t been listed. Apologies for all the oversights which are bound to happen when attempting a work of this scale.)
The scope of this article does not allow for listing weavers, embroiders and textile artists who are creating legacies through their age-old practices. There is enough to make a different list which may be as exciting as this one.
In the list of institutions, government-run museums are not included.
Madhubani painting by Avinash Karn
1. Avinash Karn – Mithila/Madhubani Painting
During the lockdowns, Karn was stuck in his studio in Banaras. He continued painting and his works were a reflection of the societal issues that had erupted, be it the spraying of disinfectants on workers, doctors getting evicted from their rental homes and so on. His posters on pandemic-safe behaviour were used by the Azim Premji Foundation to propagate safe practices. Not only is he creating art but Karn, in collaboration with Artreach India, is reaching out to young children from the marginalized communities and transforming their lives through art.
The colourful ‘pixelated’ paintings of Pithora were done on the walls by Rathwa, Bhilala and Bhil tribes living in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Traditionally, male head priests did the paintings on walls but today, this folk art has been reinvented by the artists who now do the paintings on paper and canvas. Bhuri Bai is the first woman from the Bhil community to paint on paper and canvas. Her works are now in the collection of art collectors and she has been featured by the Museum of Art and Photography in a solo online exhibition. Her daughter, Shanta Buria is also an artist and continuing with her mother’s legacy.
The themes of G Reghu’s ceramic sculptures stem from the tribal belt of Wayanad and Bastar. While his works are now in famous collections and institutions, his contribution to the art world is through the use of indigenous materials. The artist, initially a potter, flourished in his early days with the mentorship of the architect Laurie Baker and the latter’s wife, Elizabeth. His works espouse the beauty of tribal art in an effective manner.
4. Kesu Das – Lacquer dolls and paintings
He lives in the picturesque beach town of Baleshwar, Orissa and is one of the very few artists who does lacquer on canvas. Colour is added to lacquer, the refuse of an insect, and used by the Hindu women of Nowrangpur and Baleshwar districts to beautify cane boxes and terracotta figures. Das contemporized the technique to apply over canvas but he also does delightfully colourful lacquer dolls. He is an art activist and has revived the traditional annual lacquer toy marriage festival apart from fighting environmental causes.
Lacquer doll by Kesu Das
5. Jitendra and Jagdish Parihar - Pichwai paintings
Painted on cloth, the 400-years-old painting tradition of Pichwais depicts Srinathji and these works were usually hung behind the temple idols. The art originated in Nathdwara near Udaipur, Rajasthan, but the Parihars, famous father-son duo, speak of an interesting tradition. On every Teej festival, a three-day festival celebrated in North India, the priest of the Nathdwara’s Srinathji temple would commission a special Pichwai from Hyderabad. Done on black, red or green fabric with gold and silver embellishments, the Dakhani Pichwai would be hung right behind the (approximately) 3-inch idol. The Parihars come from one of the oldest families in Udaipur and are now recruiting young artists from the region to paint in this style. As they say, an art which started in the 16th century shouldn’t stop in this century.
6. Durgabai and Shyam Vyam – Gond Painting
The wife-husband duo has been represented by galleries like Bengaluru’s kynkyny.com and have had international as well as national shows. They reinvented the concept of Gond tradition by participating in the Kochi Muziris Biennale (2018) and painting a graphic narrative on plywood. Durgabai has also illustrated books and has received the Padma Sri this year.
Dhudat, along with his wife, daughter, son and daughter-in-law, has been painting massive scrolls depicting elaborate stories, be it the Ramayana or the Kargill war, in a colourful folk style of painting. Dudhat calls his painting technique the’ Gujarat school of art’ style. His scrolls are about 55 metres long on an average – about 4 Volvo buses in a row – and make for spectacular viewing. The student of the famous artist K G Subramanyan, Dhudat has conveyed the ethos and beauty of folk art in an evocative way.
Ganjifa was a game introduced to India by the first Mughal emperor, Babar. The game was played with oval cards of 8 cm diameter which were painted. Mysuru-based artist Raghupati Bhat was fascinated by the art, especially the 19th century ‘chhadas’ Ganjifa cards which were commissioned by the Mysore King Krishnaraj Wadiyar III, and taught himself the miniature style of painting which sometimes requires a single strand brush. One set of his Ramayana painted Ganjifa cards are in the V&A collection in London.
9. Sharat Kumar Sahoo – Pattachitra/Patachitra
The National award painter from Orissa actually hails from the artistic village of Raghurajpur known for the talented artists practicing pattachitra. Actually, this art dates back to the 13th CE, around the same timeline when the Konark Temple was being built. There is not only exquisite art but also traditional storytelling. Sahoo is one of the several artists who do pattachitra with vegetable dyes and colours extracted from minerals. The experienced and skilled artist tells popular narratives of Hindu deities like Jagannatha, Krishna, Vishnu, Shiva, Parvati and more. The works have intricate borders, central imagery and perfect division of space and proportions. There is no room for error here.
When the Chief Minister of Orissa visited the Pope recently, he gifted the Pope a Tree of Life painting done in the Pattachitra style by the artist Apindra Swain. He too, like Sharat Kumar Sahoo, hails from the Raghurajpur village and is known to contemporize the art form by choosing to paint on artifacts like kettles and bottles in a bid to attract more takers.
Kinnal art dates back to about 15th century originating at Kinnal village in Koppal district of Karnataka. Traditionally the painting was done on wooden dolls and received patronage from the Vijayanagar kings and the Nawabs of Koppal. But in recent times, the art has been languishing as the income generated from it was not enough for an artist to make a living. Santoshkumar Chitragar, in his early 30s, changed the fortune of his village by connecting an interested audience worldwide through social media. Operating under the handle of @kinnalart, he has been able to cut middlemen as well as secure orders. The artist not only creates works in his studio but dreams of training young artists in the craft.
Kinnal Art by Santosh Kumar Chitragar
The red pigment mural painting originated in the Konkan region. It extracts the red pigment from the laterite soil to paint walls of temples in the rich hue. Usually, a kaavi artist will do the painting on wet walls, decorating the façade with complex yet delicate patterns. The Goan temples have this graffito technique paintings but unfortunately, old buildings are pulled down to erect new ones and the art form is getting lost. Some artists, like Janardhana Rao Havanje, have been trying to reinvent the art with contemporary media. Havanje uses acrylic on canvas to create the same kaavikala style paintings.
13. Lenin C.P. – Bamboo art
The Wayanad district in Kerala is known for the varieties of bamboo. Artist Lenin has been working with the material for over two decades under the aegis of Wayanad’s not-for-profit NGO Uravu, an indigenous Science and Technology Centre. While his art may not be folk art in its truest sense, the fact that he uses this indigenous material to create artworks makes him qualified to appear on the list. From fields of bamboo lilies to massive installations requiring painstaking handiwork, Lenin has mastered the material. He mixes materials such as coir, metal and stone in the bamboo creations and introduces shades of colour by the clever scorching of the bamboo works.
14. Urmila Devi Paswan – Godana Painting
The tattoo painting tradition or Godana art was traditionally done by the women from the gypsy tribes from North and Central India. The tattoos on the body were identification marks and significantly different for each tribe. Urmila Devi is from Jitwarpur, Madhubani District of Madhya Pradesh from where she does her style of works, some of which are now in international museums.
15. Saroj Kumar Rout – Terracotta art
Hailing from Marsaghai in Kendrapara District of Orissa, Saroj Kumar Rout is a master artist in terracotta. He learned some of his craft from Debraj Sahoo, a pioneer in the craft. Rout works with wet clay on a potter’s wheel to create intricate sculptures in the mythological theme. Most of his works are referencing from the tales of Lord Jagannath of Puri. He has done elaborate chariots and mythological figures in a bid to connect with the rich heritage of the state.
There are several accomplished artists doing Gond painting, a style of painting done by the largest indigenous community of Central India. However, Mayank Shyam comes from a pedigree lineage as the eldest son of Jangarh Singh Shyam who was a pioneer in the field. Mayank is not only carrying on with the traditions of Gond technique of painting their mythological stories but also contemporizing the themes and presentation for a wider audience.
While there are several forms of puppetry in India, we are talking about the leather puppetry and its proponent Gundu Raju from Hoovanahalli in Hassan District, Karnataka. He comes from a family with a 200-year-old legacy in puppetry. Gundu Raju weaves music and visual elements into the Togalu Gombeyaata performances which often tell stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Because of his legacy, he has several rare puppets, some of which are over 600 years old. Since puppet performances are not as prevalent as before, puppeteers have a tough time practicing their art. But Gundu Raju has been at it and even been teaching the craft to others.
Chittara art was practiced by the tribal women from the Malnad region incorporating the elements of ‘rangoli’ on the walls of their homes while singing songs. The paintings depict the tribal life and are usually rooted in the social milieu. The art, in some ways, has been eclipsed by the Warli painting which is prevalent in the neighbouring region of the Western Ghats. Award-winner artist Ishwar Naik is said to be one of main activists who have revived the art and has documented several motifs which would otherwise have been forgotten. He has a training centre where youngsters from the Deewaru community who live in the ghat region.
In India, the art of gemstone carving goes back to the Indus Valley civilization. Amrit Sirohiya, hailing from a small village near Jaipur, Rajasthan, has kept alive the heritage art of carving. He has carved exquisite forms in crystals, mother of pearl, jade and other precious and semi-precious stones. For his efforts, he has won the National Award, a first for an artist of his genre.
Karna Meher is a kusta weaver by caste and his community traditionally weaves tussar fabric from the tussar or kusa yarn. Meher innovated his art by using the kusa yarn to create elaborate sculptures. He prepares a special adhesive by grinding pre-soaked raw rice with the water of cooked rice which was used to bind the tussar fibres together. One of the sculptures he did, Dolarasa, was an elaborate work on Lord Krishna and his gopis.
The murals in the Kerala style have graced the walls of Kerala palaces and temples and the art dates back to the 14th century. Gopi Chevayur has been doing murals since the 90s and now he trains students in this old art form as well. His works have adorned the walls of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Trivandrum, Sree Alatheeyur Hanumankavu and other places showcasing the beauty of a wonderful tradition.
22. Pradipta Kumar Nayak – Straw Art
Often, artists from small villages and towns succumb to their responsibilities, steering away from their art so as to find employment elsewhere. Pradipta Kumar Nayak, a self-taught artist from Orissa, decided to learn a new craft instead, using straw that’s left over after the harvest. In the last 34 years, Nayak has been training the people from his village Jiral as well as others in a self-invented art which gets its inspiration from Pattachitra. Using different shades of straws, Nayak has also created so many masterpieces that he is now famous for his art and has received awards as well.
While Kalighat painting developed in the mid-19th century in Kolkata to depict Hindu gods and goddesses, the patua artists also use the art to illustrate political and social issues. Kalam Patua learnt the art from his uncle, as is the tradition of learning from the family members, and has since been painting on paper creating exquisite stories about the social and political issues in an almost satirical manner. His iconography works are sought by devotees as well. Kalam Patua’s works are in private collections and museums.
24-28. Chirag Kumawat, Rahul Soni, Lalita Soni, Rajesh Sharma and Shakir Ali – Miniature painting
Miniature painting of India was highly skilled and specialized. The works were done on different materials with intricate details. The earliest miniature paintings were seen in the 7th century on palm leaves. The Pala art depicted the life of Buddha and after the Mughal influence came in, miniature painting took off to a different level as the Mughal style of miniature flourished. When royal patronage declined, the Rajasthan school of miniature painting and Pahari art evolved. Other styles, like the Deccan style of miniature painting, evolved but today, miniature painting as an art is declining. Young emerging artists like Chirag Kumawat, Rahul Soni, Lalita Soni, Rajat Sharma are transforming the ancient art into a more contemporary one with aesthetics that is relatable to the present audience. One of the established miniaturists is the Padmashri awardee Shakir Ali who is an expert in the Mughal style and has created several Persian and Mughal influenced masterpieces. He has also restored old paintings in Jaipur’s City Palace and other institutions.
29-34. Women artists of Mithila
Dulari Devi, Shalini Karn, Amrita Jha, Nisha Jha, Babita Karn, Ganga Devi, Amrita Das
Madhubani or Mithila art is probably one of the few artforms that have continued to see popularity in recent times. Instantly recognizable for the colours and motifs, the art actually originated in Mithila, the birthplace of Sita, daughter of King Janaka. The art was named after Madhubani village in the Mithila region of Bihar where it actually began. For generations, women from this region have been decorating their courtyards and interior walls of their homes with intricate works of Hindu gods and goddesses but in the last several decades, they have been painting on paper with pen and ink. All of the mentioned women artists have pushed the art into limelight by creating artworks in spite of added domestic responsibilities during the pandemic. From Dulari Devi to Amrita Das, these women artists have portrayed the fight against the Corona virus and all the relevant issues on paper with excellent composition and narrative.
The art of Kalamkari is from the state of Telengana and is done in 23 steps using natural colours. They are actually done in two styles: Srikalahasti and Machilipatnam. Since this art can be block-printed, it is quite popular as kalamkari fabrics. The hand-painted works have appeared in scrolls, temples and other mediums with narratives of Hindu mythology. In modern times, digital files of kalamkari motifs have been used for printing on cloth and other surfaces. But for artists like Niranjan Jonnalagadda, the art is still done patiently and with the intention of showcasing the beauty of its traditions. He is the son of the revivalist artist Jonnalagadda Gurappa Chetty, who was responsible for training many artists in the Srikalahasti style which has narrative themes and mythological stories. Niranjan does his work on cloth using traditional techniques and natural colours.
The Phad painting from Rajasthan was once a medium of storytelling. This meant that an entire theme was painted on a large scroll for easy understanding. The art is about 700 years old and has passed through the generations of one family. Painted on a specially prepared, thick, long (about 30 feet) canvas that’s five feet wide, the scrolls are magnanimous in scale and look. Phad painting is done with primary colours; red, green, yellow, black and blue. Kalyan Joshi is part of the Joshi clan (Chipa caste) who are from the original family and still prepare the canvases for others to use. He has got a national award for his efforts in propagating
Patua art is one of the oldest form of audiovisuals; the artists sing the story depicted in their creation, slowly rolling the scroll as they explain the scenes in the works. Santhals are the third largest tribe in India and the Santhal Patua paintings are drawn by the Jadu Patuas (magic painters), a special community from the Santhal Paragana district of Bengal. Manimala Chitrakar focuses on myths, festivities and celebrations of her community. She belongs to the family of Dukhushyam Chitrakar who was famous for the revival of the Santhal Patua painting technique.
Swarna Chitrakar is a prominent artist who is also a strong voice against social injustices. She has done works that highlight social issues like TB, child marriage and so on as well as incidents like tsunami and the pandemic. What makes her works extra special is her self-composed patua sangeet which she sings when displaying her art. Her works are in prominent galleries and the artist has two books to her credit.
39. Dr Hem Chandra Goswami – Mask maker
Hem Chandra Goswami is famous in Assam for his efforts in making, preserving, and promoting the mask-making traditions in Assam. The state has a long tradition in mask-making and local ingredients like cane, bamboo, pith plant, paper, jute, cloth, and cowdung are used. The masks are used in the Sattriya arts of the state and are of three types – mukha (face) masks, lotokai mukha (to move eyes and lips), and bor mukha (large scale masks). Hem Chandra has innovated the conventional masks which restricted the actors to static expressions by making masks which allow the actors to move their eyes and lips.
National award winner Budhiarin Devi is true to the techniques of Dhokra art. While women usually lay the design on the clay tablets and the rest of the process are done by the men, Budhiarin’s creations has made her win state and national level awards. The bell metal artifacts are now getting popular, especially after artists like Budhiarin Devi are contemporizing the designs.
41. Ghulam Nabi Dar – Wood carving
The Goa-based art historian and curator has been focused on the documentation of living traditions and folk arts of India as well as promoting folk artists in curated shows or talks. Since her practice is rooted in the local, what she brings to the folk art scene of India is quite invaluable.
The affable American artist living in Udaipur has singularly put miniaturists of Rajasthan in the contemporary art scene by creating specialized and intricate works that have been composed by him. What makes him a champion for the region’s folk artists is the fact that he gives them due credit for their work, calling them his collaborators. Many of the artists from his atelier are now reinventing their art to suit the aesthetics of a global audience without letting go of their traditions.
He is an art historian and the author of over 20 books on art including miniature paintings in India and Pahari painting (umbrella term for paintings originating from the Himalayan region – Basohli, Mankot, Nurpur, Chamba, Kangra, Guler, Mandi and Garhwal). Each of his books is like a treatise on the subject and of immense value to the country itself.
She is an artist focused on historical iconographic elements and has collaborated with the 9th and 10th generation of Ajrakh artisans who migrated from Sindh and Baluchistan in 1600 CE to Bhuj in Gujarat. Her art incorporates and reinvents the Ajrakh art to create works that are bound to open dialogues on the techniques. Her work with the Ajrakh artists has exposed them to contemporary art practices.
This art historian’s research focuses on the history and practices of vernacular art forms in India after Independence. She has spoken extensively on artists practicing folk and tribal art as well as curated their works for galleries and exhibitions. Her insight on indigenous art has led her to document the practices and shine a light on them. Anupama has curated one of the largest shows in India on contemporary tribal art.
Latvia born and Brooklyn resident, Peter Zirnis is one of the passionate supporters of Madhubani/Mithila art. He visits the village once a year, advises the artists, curates exhibitions and writes a blog on the art. Zirnis is part of the Ethnic Arts Foundation which supports Madhubani art and its artists since 1980.
He is the founder and curatorial director of the Ojas Art Gallery and is tuned to the indigenous art practices of India. Through the gallery, he supports the art of several folk artists from different states and feature their works regularly.
Founded and conceptualized by Ashwini Pai, the gallery supports about 500 folk and tribal artists from the country. One of their recent shows (can be viewed online) was curated by Lina Vincent and showcased indigenous artists under the title Enduring Legacy: Navarasa in contemporary indigenous practices.
50. Uravu Indigenous Science & Technology Study Centre
Located in Wayanad, Kerala, this not-for-profit NGO has been devoted to promote bamboo art and installations. They have curated art shows showcasing the beauty and dexterity of bamboo as a material which goes well with the ethos of using local materials to create sustainable art.
Mala Dhawan and her sister Sonia Dhawan began this collective in 2010 with the aim of bringing the creators of art and the clientele together. Over the years, the collective, which hosts fairs annually, has discovered several folk artists and got them to be part of a growing community.
She is one of the foremost craft activists working for the revival of traditional crafts in India. By co-founding Dastkar, she has given the artists an opportunity to sell their works directly to customers. She is associated with artists from all states and through Dastkar she assesses their needs, do workshops and skilling, develop new products and designs, and reach out to marginalized artisans.
The folk culture museum near Ramanagara on the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway showcases the folk art of Karnataka. The museum has 5000 folk artefacts, from leather puppets to life-size dancing dolls. There are regular performances of folk dances as well.
54. Jatin Das Centre for Arts
Artist Jatin Das founded the centre for housing art of all hues, be it traditional, contemporary, classical, and folk art. Over 30 plus years, the centre has several notable collections including the 6000 decorated ‘pankha’ (hand fans) collection. The idea of showing all the art together is to dissolve the so-called boundary between fine art and folk art. The centre has a dedicated section on woven baskets as well.
The Corbett Foundation started a tribal museum in Kanha to provide an authentic glimpse of the life and culture of the Baiga and Gond tribes of Central India. Apart from showcasing the way of life ranging from cuisine to dance forms, the museum displays artworks made by the two tribes.
The Panchagani-based non-profit initiative in Maharashtra supports indigenous art and craft of the Adivasis in the region. The unique feature of this institution is their reinvention of Dhokra art by creating Rock Dhokra wherein rock and brass are fused together using lost wax technique. The centre also showcases the beaten iron craft, taking inspiration from the Bastar iron craft; Tumba art which uses dried gourds to create decorative objects and the special art of organic casting where natural forms are achieved by directly casting on dried leaves, branches, flowers, dead insects and even dead frogs.
Note: Again, weavers’ hubs like Kancheepuram, Yeola, Burdhaman, Mansar, Saulkuchi and so on do not feature in the list for they are not in the scope of this article.
Nirmal town in Telangana is known for its wooden toys and duco painting called as Nirmal art. The latter is practiced by artists who are traditionally called Naqqash who migrated from Rajasthan in the 17th century. The technique and themes were influenced by Kangra, Ajanta as well as Mughal miniatures and the craft itself can be traced to the Kakatiya dynasty (12th - 14th CE).
The whole village is into making dhokra art with almost the same techniques used during the Indus Valley Civilization. The Jharas of Ektaal make designs which are around their tribal gods and their way of life. There are more than 12 national awardees and several state awardees in this one village alone.
The artists of Cuttack, the twin town of Bhubaneshwar, are known for their silver filigree works. Known as Tarakashi, the works are made by stretching silver into thin wires and then interwoven and moulded to form delicate ornaments or other objects. While silver filigree jewellery is popular, the true expertise of these artists can be gauged when looking at the various objects they create, like boats, chariots, animals and more.
Look nowhere else when it comes to pattachitra paintings. Every house is a studio for its resident-artists. What makes it more interesting is that each family has their own style which has been passed on to them over generations. And to think that the pattachitra painting originated here right back in the 4th century. Some of the villagers also make paper mache works as well. The village earned its tag as the state’s first heritage crafts village.
Channapatna town became famous for its wooden toys since the times of Tipu Sultan. It got a shot of revival when Bavas Miyan introduced the Japanese doll making techniques to the artists. Today, the wooden toys are made from the soft dhoodi wood (milkwood) although some use hard woods like rubberwood, Silverwood, sycamore and red cedar as well. Lathe machines are used to make the toys which are then coloured using vegetable-dyed lacquer sticks. The art is dying out with the advent of cheaper toys from China but for the true seeker of an old art form, there are artists who still attempt at making the toys and other home décor objects using the traditional techniques.
While the Purulia chhau dance is famous in the region, its colourful mask accessories are sought after for their beauty. The masks portray gods and goddesses and are made through a nuanced process which involves the clay of the river flowing through the village. This village is highly involved in the entire cultural ethos of the dance and its accessories.
The Aranmula kannadi (mirror) is world famous for its handmade, metal-alloy, first surface mirror. What’s so special lies in the fact that while conventional mirrors have the reflective surface behind a transparent substance (usually acrylic), the Aranmula kannadis have the reflective surface above a backing. The mirror is prepared using techniques known only to the artists of Aranmula, a secret passed on from generation to generation of the Vishwakarma family. Considered to bring good luck, these kannadis are sought after locally and are also displayed in world-class museums. The mirrors come with beautiful frames and handles.
The small town in Nellore district is known for its wooden cutlery. Probably originated during the 14th century, it was patronized by the kings of the Vijayanagar empire and the Quli Qutub Shah kings (1512 – 1687 CE). The art, which has a lot of Persian motifs, is done by intricate carving of the locally sourced wood (Nardi, Devadari, Bikki Chakka, Kaldi chakka or Palabarki wood) to make spoons, forks, serving spoons, and even salad bowls.
Doll making was once prevalent in the region but now few pockets are still making them. Nutangram, a village in Burdwan, has still retained the traditional style of doll making. The toys are chiselled out of seasoned wood and coloured with bright natural colours. They lack details and finesse but are delightful to look. The owl dolls of Nutangram are very famous because of the regional religious connotations.
Asharikandi is famous for its terracotta art made by the Paul community who live there. The pottery of this place is unique because of its aesthetics and forms. Once considered a poor man’s craft, terracotta art of this village is known for the raw material used also called as hiramati, a special type of soil. Once the potters would make utensils but today, they make products like horses, elephants, rhinoceros, and so on.
68. South 24 Paraganas District – West Bengal
While the district itself extends from Kolkata to the remote riverine villages, the art of shola pith is common to all of South 24 Paraganas. The Indian Cork plant or the shola pith grows across the district including the Sunderbans Delta which artists use for the soft brittle material that comes out of the stalks of the plants. The white, marble-like hue shola is made into art by malakars and the techniques are passed over generations. Shola pith is used to make sculptures of gods and goddesses as well as ritualistic and decorative objects. By the way, shola pith art is made by artists from Bardhaman, Birbhum, Hooghly, Nadia, Malda, Murshidabad districts as well.
The Swaminatha Swamy temple of Swamimalai is a feast to the eyes. It was built by the Chola king Rajaraja – I on the banks of River Kaveri. He brought skilled artisans to create build the temple and their descendants who have continued to stay at Swamimalai, also called the Sthapathis, are continuing with the craft of bronze casting. The sthapathis follow the 114 specifications of the Shilpa Shastra religiously and employ the lost wax method to create idols of perfect measurements. Because of the labour-intensive process and the material used, bronze idols are quite expensive but the sthapathis of Swamimalai make the idols treasures to be coveted.
The unique art of Bidri originated in India at the town of Bidar in northern Karnataka. This art is a type of metal work in which a silver design is etched into an alloy called the gunmetal. Apparently, the art originated during the rule of the Bahmani Sultans in the 14th century CE from Iran. The motifs are heavily influenced by Persian art. Traditionally, the artists would use the soil from the bottom of the old wells of the 15th century fort of Bidar. Today, the art is done on contemporary products and the town of Bidar is still the hub of Bidri art. The artists from Bidar number about a few hundreds while there are Bidri artists in Hyderabad as well but in smaller numbers.
Srinagar has been recognized by the UNESCO as the sixth Indian city to get the ‘Creative City’ for its crafts and folk art. There are too many talented practitioners of art in this city for anyone to get an individual nod. Instead, the list of craft and folk arts will give an idea of the city. From wood carvings, paper mache, carpets, Pashmina shawls, copper ware, and more, the city is a delight for those who seek man-made beauty.
The villages of Bastar district are known for its art which can be divided into wood, bamboo, metal and soil art. One of the popular art forms is the black metal work which is called the Bastar Iron craft. Some of the tribal communities, like Gond and Maria, are well-versed in the traditional art techniques which are usually passed on over generations.
Probably the most famous place for folk art, the richness of this district is to be seen. For generations, the women folk of this small district have been decorating their homes and compound walls with the colourful Mithla art. The district has several national award-winners including the legendary Sita Devi. Probably the first recording of the Mithila painting happened in 1930s when W G Archer, a British civil servant, went to inspect the district after an earthquake had affected the region in 1934. Looking at the wall and floor paintings, he and his wife Mildred photographed and published their findings. In 1977, American anthropologist, Raymond Owens, chanced on the district and was bowled over by the artworks everywhere. He founded the Ethnic Arts Foundation along with some of colleagues and over time, EAF has bought paintings for its collection from over 150 artists. The EAF has also started the Mithila Art Institute to encourage and train new generations in the art for free. The paintings are not only decorations but also social commentary, recording the social and political issues.
Even as recent as fifty years ago, many South Indian households used mats to sleep on cool floor. These mats were called pai and were available in different colours. Made with korai grass, the mats have wefts of Korai grass and warps of fine cotton or silk threads of 80 – 100 counts. The mats were pioneered by Hassan Bawa Lubbai who had discovered that the soaked korai grass could be split into 120 counts instead of 30 -40 counts. Lubbai’s forefathers were engaged in mat weaving but their mats were rough and thick. Legend has it that Hassan Bawa was drying the korai grass in the open when it started raining heavily. After the rains, he found the grass floating in the Tambrapani River and he salvaged the grass but found that the grass was soft and smooth. He separated the fibre from the waste and found that he could split it into over 100 strands. The resulting mats were thin and light and could be folded like a cloth or carried in the fist. The Pattadamai mats today face competition from plastic mats.
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