The central tribes is the third largest in India and they are dated back to Davidian time around 4000 years. The native of the tribes people mainly spread across West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand and Assam.
They have distinctive culture of their own. They have unique skills in making musical instruments, Mats, Baskets and painting. They paint like magic in colors which called Santhal painting One of the oldest painting ever had.
The Santhal Folk painting is not done only for professions but also for enjoying and celebration. The theme of the santhal art is life of santhal tribes. The santhal painting is done mainly on pata or cloth. They were also found on walls artifacts and papers.
Origin and theme
The role patas Or scrolls painted by professional painters, know as a chitrakars. There are mainly three types of painting first category is a longish, Rolled with the theme of divine figure or description of any memorable event. The second category is later rolled Painting and third category is square shaped Painting which is generally termed as Jadupatua.
The painting santhal janam katha or origin of the universe is based on tribal myth which goes like Million years ago everything was submerged underwater. The Supreme lord Marang Buru, Jaher Era wife of Marang Buru, Guardian of the scared grove And sing banga decided to rescue life. Marang Buru brings two cows from heaven and from their saliva moths were born and they turn into birds, and as they were water everywhere they keep on flying because there is no place of sitting. So to bring the mud from pataal pawn, Fish and crab was created, but they failed in doing so. Then the earthworm was created and they able to put just a little amount of mud on earth and at last tortoise is created, but it was difficult to float endlessly so the sheshnag was asked to spread his hood To allow tortoise to rest on it. Then the pilchu Haram and pilchu Budhi was born from the eggs of the birds.
Pilchu Haram and pilchu Budhi had seven sons and eight daughters. They approach Marang Buru as it was difficult to manage them. The Marang Buru told them to go to khararai Forest and make rice beer and call him. But they forgot to call him and consume the beer and started fighting. Marang Buru rush to the point and told pilchu Haram to stay in the Kararai forest with boys and pilchu Bhudi was sent to Suhur forest along with her daughters. One fine day the boys and the girls met in the forest and they married each other Except elder daughter. Pilchu Haram and pilchu Bhudi were surprised on finding boys and girls had married despite being brothers and sisters. Marang Buru appeared and set code of conduct that now onwards no marriages between brothers and sisters of same clan will happen. the unmarried daughter was renamed as Marang Dei and Workship during Banhana Festival.
The myth generally ends with ritual Chakshudan Performed by the jadupatua. When Pilchu Haram and Pilchu Budhi Died they were cremated. So their souls could rest in peace their sons and daughters went to Marang Buru to get salvation of their souls. Marang Buru then created Jadupatua With the sole purpose to guide the soul to heaven and do the ritual of chakshudan. There is a belief that wandering souls don’t have eyes, till it is painted on chakshudan pat.
Technique
All its tools and colors ingredients produced by indigenous process. For wall painting four colors namely white, black, saffron and blue are used. White colors comes from lime, black color from ash of burn straw with water, saffron comes from orchard with water and blue from market as indigo. In some of the painting, thick coat of clay blended with water are first apply on the wall with torn pieces of cloth. Then while the coating is still damp, a selected design is carved on it with fingertips. On drying the design comes out in a beautiful manner without any color used.Jadupatua scrolls are typically narrow and infrequently exceed 12 inches in width. Scrolls are made of inexpensive sheet of paper that have been glued and stick to bamboo poles as rollers. Initially the Jadupatuas used vegetables and minerals as colors for instance yellow comes from turmeric, green comes from bean leaves, or by dried wood Apple. Violet from juice of rose apple or spinach. The colors are mixed in coconut shell.
Products
Santhal Paintings are creative expression of the santhal Tribes. The main products are Painting and other innovations are done in the form of book cover, pillows, bed sheets, sarees, dresses, wall painting, Furnitures and list goes on.
Revival
Over a period of time a continuous, consistent and ever growing tradition head existed in art. Glimpse of this painting are traceable in today’s folk art, despite problems thrown up by the confrontation of a traditional society with technology.
Revivalism in the visual arts coupled with the scholarly assignment of Indian artist heritage was the phase of India's renaissance during the freedom movements.
Santiniketan a center of excellence for Indian art is associated with Rabindranath Tagore Worldwide came forward for rejuvenation of the santhal art. Soon artist colony was established and the painting increases its scale, but due to corona everything get shattered and artist face difficulty in survival. Now the government take in charge and we just hope for the better future of ancient art.
where to purchase the art form
- https://www.art365.in/santhal-tribal-art-india
- https://m.indiamart.com/proddetail/celebration-santhal-paintings-22499005030.html
- https://www.swadesi.com/news/santhal-tribe-art-indian-tribal-art/
- https://www.inspicanvas.com/collections/top-50-indian-artworks?gclid=Cj0KCQjwg_iTBhDrARIsAD3Ib5hwSLwfrCvY-RzcP_ReU-fp1MapPKkXyCniArCuo9UQGU_-1_tq_XUaAtT9EALw_wcB
- https://potli.org/shop/art-kits/folk-art/santhal-painting-of-odisha/
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Very nice and compite artical . You deserve lots of congretulatios p purva. Now those who are lover of such art and are interested to keep it alive they can do it❤️
ReplyDeletethank you
Deletevery nice post
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