Folk Paintings of India

Region: Mithila region of Bihar (Madhubani, Darbhanga).

Medium: Traditionally on walls/floors, now on paper and cloth.

Themes: Religious (Radha-Krishna, Rama-Sita), epics, nature, social events.

Characteristics:

• Intricate patterns and fine lines.
• No empty spaces (Bharni style): Entire surface covered.
• Bold outlines and vibrant colours.
• Distinctive eyes (large, fish-shaped).
• Styles: Bharni (filled colours), Kachni (fine lines, monochrome), Tantrik (deities), Godna (tattoo-like), Kohbar (bridal chambers).

Significance: Historically by women, represents domestic and ritualistic lives. International recognition.

Region: Northern Sahyadri Range, Thane district, Maharashtra, by the Warli tribe.

Medium: Traditionally on mud walls with white rice paste on red ochre background. Now on paper/canvas.

Themes: Daily life (hunting, farming, dancing), rituals (marriages), festivals, nature. No mythological deities.

Characteristics:

• Geometric shapes: Triangle (human figures), circle (sun, moon), square (sacred enclosures).
• Human figures are stick-like.
• Monochromatic: Predominantly white on dark background.
• Repetitive patterns, sense of movement.
• Palaghata (Mother Goddess) often depicted.

Significance: One of the oldest art forms, reflects harmonious human-nature relationship.

Region: Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Medium: Pen-drawn or block-printed on cloth (cotton). 'Kalam' (pen) and 'kari' (craftsmanship).

Colours: Uses natural dyes derived from vegetable colours.

Styles (separate GI Tags):

• Srikalahasti Style: Freehand drawing with 'Kalam'. Themes: Religious (Hindu myths, epics), temple hangings. Focus on line drawing, intricate details.
• Machilipatnam Style: Primarily wooden block printing for outlines, with some hand-painting. Themes: More secular, floral patterns, animal motifs. Less narrative, more decorative.

Significance: Historically used for temple banners, later for clothing. Complex multi-step process.

Region: Puri, Raghurajpur (Odisha); Medinipur, Birbhum (West Bengal).

Medium: Painted on cloth (Patta) prepared with chalk and gum mixture.

Odisha Pattachitra (GI Tag):

• Themes: Associated with Jagannath cult, Vaishnava cult (Krishna, Radha), Dashavatara, epics.
• Characteristics: Bold lines, vibrant primary colours, flat, two-dimensional, strong outlines, decorative border. Narrative scrolls common.

Bengal Pattachitra (Narrative Scrolls):

• Themes: Folk tales, mythological stories, social messages. Performative, sung by patuas.

Significance: Odisha Pattachitra tied to Puri Jagannath Temple. Both are living traditions passed down generations.

Region: Madhya Pradesh (primarily), by the Gond tribe.

Medium: Traditionally on walls, now adapted to paper and canvas.

Themes: Deeply rooted in nature, animals, birds, trees, folklore, myths, deities. Daily life and festivals.

Characteristics:

• Intricate patterns of dots and lines to fill figures (signature patterns).
• Vibrant, often contrasting colours from natural sources.
• Strong narrative element.
• Emphasis on harmony with nature.

Significance: Powerful representation of tribal spirituality and connection to nature. Popularized by Jangarh Singh Shyam.

Region: Eastern Gujarat (Dahod, Chhota Udepur) and Western Madhya Pradesh (Alirajpur, Jhabua) by Rathwa and Bhilala tribes.

Medium: Ritualistic paintings on inner walls of houses.

Themes: Deities, horses, nature, tribal cosmos. Offerings for wish fulfillment.

Characteristics:

• Ritualistic: Part of ceremonies performed by a badvo (priest-shaman).
• Vibrant colours.
• Horses are central motif (representing deities/ancestors).
• Geometric and stylized figures. Entire wall often covered.

Significance: Integral to spiritual and social life, gateway to the divine.

Region: Bhilwara district, Rajasthan.

Medium: Narrative scroll paintings on cloth (long pieces of canvas).

Themes: Elaborate stories of folk deities like Pabuji and Devnarayan.

Characteristics:

• Narrative art: Visual aid for oral narration of heroic deeds.
• Accompanied by Bhopas (priest-singers) who narrate while unfurling.
• Bold lines and vibrant colours (red, orange dominant).
• Flat figures, dense composition, multiple episodes in one frame.
• Night and Day depictions demarcated.

Significance: Unique blend of painting, oral tradition, and performance art.

Region: Kalighat, Kolkata, West Bengal.

Period: Flourished in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Medium: Painted on paper.

Themes: Initially Hindu deities; later social commentary and satire (everyday life, babus, sahibs, courtesans).

Characteristics:

• Bold lines and swift brushstrokes, rapid execution.
• Use of watercolours, often bright, limited colours.
• Simple composition, often single powerful figure.
• Mass production for popular market, inexpensive.

Significance: Represents transition from traditional folk/religious art to secular, socially conscious form.

Region: Himalayan regions of India (Sikkim, Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh), Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal.

Medium: Scroll paintings on cotton or silk appliqué.

Themes: Primarily Buddhist themes (Mahayana Buddhism): Buddha, Bodhisattvas, Mandalas, Buddhist deities, life of Buddha, cosmology. Used for ritual and meditation.

Characteristics:

• Scroll paintings, designed to be rolled up.
• Detailed iconography: Strict rules for figures.
• Vibrant colours, often with gold leaf.
• Complex compositions, visual aids for meditation/teaching.
• Symbolic imagery. Often framed with silk brocade.

Significance: Sacred objects used in monasteries/homes for spiritual purposes, teaching, and ritual.

Region: Anga region of Bihar, primarily Bhagalpur.

Medium: Traditionally on pots, walls, and scrolls made from paper or cloth.

Themes: Exclusively depicts the folklore of Bihula-Vishahri (Manjusha and snake goddesses).

Characteristics:

• Snake motifs: Dominant and recurring.
• Border patterns: Distinctive wavy lines.
• Limited colours: Pink, green, and yellow, with black outlines.
• Narrative style: Linear, sequential storytelling.
• Simple, two-dimensional figures.

Significance: Unique to Bhagalpur, intimately tied to a specific local myth and ritual.

Region: Southern Odisha, by the Saura tribe.

Medium: Ritualistic wall paintings (Italons) inside homes.

Themes: Daily life, rituals, animals, nature, and the Idital (Saura deity/spirit).

Characteristics:

• Resemblance to Warli: Stick-like figures, geometric shapes.
• Figures: More angular, compositions more complex and crowded than Warli.
• Ritualistic: Created by kudan (priests) or ittamar (artists) for rites.
• Materials: White from rice paste, black from charcoal, red from ochre.

Significance: Deeply ingrained in religious/social life, sacred communication.

Region: Mysore, Karnataka.

Medium: Painted on paper, cloth, or wood, prepared with a base coat.

Themes: Primarily Hindu deities, mythological scenes, Puranic narratives.

Characteristics:

• Similar to Tanjore, but generally more subtle colours, finer lines, less pronounced relief.
• Gesso Paste Work: For embossing jewellery and ornamentation.
• Extensive use of gold foil.
• Intricate detailing in drapery, jewellery, facial expressions.

Significance: Royal patronage from Wodeyars helped it flourish. Refined regional classical-folk blend.

Region: Cheriyal village, Siddipet district, Telangana.

Medium: Narrative folk art painted on cloth scrolls (up to 40-60 feet long).

Themes: Stories from Puranas, epics (Ramayana, Mahabharata), and local folklore.

Characteristics:

• Narrative scrolls: Used by storytellers (Nakashi artists) to narrate tales.
• Vivid colours and stylized forms.
• Distinctive facial features with prominent eyes.
• Linear storytelling: Each panel tells a part of the story sequentially.
• Cartoon-like figures, usually dark-skinned, with vibrant borders.

Significance: Unique storytelling where art and performance are intertwined, preserving oral traditions.