ART FROM BIHAR'S HEART , MADHUBANI PAINTINGS

The art of Madhubani painting, is the traditional style developed in the Mithila region, in the villages around Madhubani, Bihar.  Madhubani literally means a forest of honey.It is an ancient art form which holds a rich significance and background to it. Discussed under are the varied details and in-depth information about the subject. 

Figures from nature & mythology are adapted to suit their style. The themes & designs widely painted are the worship of Hindu deities such as Krishna, Rama, Siva, Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Sun and Moon, Tulasi plant, court scenes, wedding scenes, social happenings around them, etc.  Floral, animal and bird motifs, geometrical designs are used to fill up all the gaps.  There is hardly any empty space in this style. The skill is handed down the generations, and hence the traditional designs and patterns are widely maintained.  

FACTS :

• Natural objects like the sun, the moon, and religious plants like tulsi are also widely painted, along with scenes from the royal court and social events like weddings.
• Generally no space is left empty; the gaps are filled by paintings of flowers, animals, birds, and even geometric designs. There is hardly any empty space in this style.
• Cotton wrapped around a bamboo stick forms the brush.
• The colours applied are prepared by the artists.  Black colour is obtained by mixing soot with cow dung; yellow from turmeric or pollen or lime and the milk of banyan leaves; blue from indigo; red from the kusam flower juice or red sandalwood; green from the leaves of the wood apple tree; white from rice powder; orange from palasha flowers. 
• Madhubani paintings were traditionally done by females only. Since generations, this folk art form has been passing from mothers to daughters in Mithila.

Most of the figures depicted in Madhubani paintings carry a symbolic meaning to them which makes these paintings all the more interesting. Fishes in a Madhubani painting depict good luck, fertility and procreation, peacocks symbolize romantic love while serpents in these paintings are identified as divine protectors.

Where you can find this beautiful painting or art : CraftsIndia Gallery

LokVriksha, Tulshidham Road, Opp Vasant Vihar,Pokheran road 2, Thane West , Maharashtra.

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CLASSICAL SOUTH TOUCH, TANJORE PAINTING 

Tanjore painting ( Thanjavur Oviyam) is a major form of classical South Indian painting from the town of Thanjavur (anglicized as Tanjore) in Tamil Nadu,India. The art form dates back to about 1600 AD, a period when the Nayakas of Thanjavur encouraged art—chiefly, classical dance and music—as well as literature, both in Telugu and Tamil. Tanjore paintings are known for their surface richness, vivid colors and compact composition. Essentially serving as devotional icons, the subjects of most paintings are Hindu gods, goddesses, and saints.

This painting existed from the 17th to 19th century . Mainly it was made during this era .Today, this art is kept alive by artists in Tamil Nadu .

FACTS :-

• High-quality gold foil is used to ensure that the paintings last generations.
• Paintings come in three finishes: classic, antique style and embossed
• In the classic finish, bold colors and striking backgrounds are combined with high-glitter gold foil, while in the antique style, the gold's glitter is more sober, with more subtle colors and plain backgrounds. The embossed paintings are similar to the classic style but are embossed to give greater depth.
• Chalk powder or zinc oxide is also used .
• After the drawing is made, the jewellery and apparel in the image are decorated with semi-precious stones known as Jaipur stones. 
• A mixture called "muk" is prepared using chalk powder and African gum in a ratio of 2:1. The muk is applied in places around the stones and other areas to give an embossed look.

Tanjore Paintings are of very rich heritage.This art is sacred and dedicated. The artwork is one of the many indigenous art forms for which India is noted. 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 paintings decorate the puja rooms in residences, orcades in major hotels and lobbies in Corporate Offices. They also make nice gifts for Diwali, Weddings and other special occasions.

Just one right place where you can find this piece of art : CraftsIndia Gallery

LokVriksha, Tulshidham Road, Opp Vasant Vihar,Pokheran road 2, Thane West , Maharashtra.

For more , Keep reading our blogs .

FOR THE LOVE OF NATURE, SAURA PAINTINGS 

The Saura paintings were traditionally made to mark special events such as birth of a child, a good harvest, marriage etc. The sacred “idital” paintings (a part of Saura art) were always painted in the darkest rooms of the house, and were used by the tribal people to contact and appease the dead ancestors of the tribe. 

The Saura tribes of Orissa have a glorious past. The Saura tribe i.e. Sauras or Savaras have been mentioned in Indian epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. Savari's devotion to Rama in Ramayana is part of the folk lore of India. In Mahabharata, Jara Savara pierces an arrow to Krisna and kills him. 

Saura Painting (CraftsIndia Gallery)

The people of the Saura tribe traditionally drew ritualistic pictographs on the inside walls of their mud houses called 'italons'. These pictographs were made for various reasons – to avoid disease, preserve crops, honor the dead of the tribe, and promote fertility. 

FACTS :-

• The Sauras paint on the inside of the walls which is due to their religious belief.
• Natural colors are used mainly black and white (made from soot and rice respectively).  
• A bamboo brush is used to paint. 
• It is usually mistaken as Warli Painting. 
• But these are different from the Warli tribe paintings where the insides of characters do not have the Saura net-like approach. The Warli figures are also more linear compared with the Saura figures.

These paintings are filled with positive energies of life.The Sauras beautifully express their philosophy that religion is about workshiping , respecting and protecting nature and that man and nature are inseparable.


This glorious painting can lighten up your house and make you feel more positive than ever. It connects to Human and Nature in a very religious way. Mother nature is our everything. We are lonely without the flora and fauna around us . This painting depicts the everyday happening and connecting of a man's life with the flora and fauna.
Find your love for the nature , Find this painting at :-

CraftsIndia Gallery,

LokVriksha, Tulshidham Road, Opp Vasant Vihar,Pokheran road 2, 

Thane West , Maharashtra.

For more keep reading our blogs .

 A PART OF THE TRIBAL ORRISA , PATACHITRA ART 

“Patta” literally means “cloth” and “Chitra” means “picture” in Sanskrit. The Pattachitra painting tradition is closely linked with the worship of Lord Jagannath, and stories from the Ramayan, Mahabharath and of Radha & Krishna are the other main themes. 

The origin of Patachitra paintings is linked with the famous Jagannath temple of Puri, which was built by the Choda-GangaDeva. The style was kept alive over the centuries due to the demands of millions of pilgrims who come to the shrine of Jagannath from all over India. The patachitras are generally located as the earliest indigenous paintings in the state of Orissa.The painters or Chitrakars are found mainly in the district of Puri, Orissa and more specifically in the crafts village of Raghurajpur. The tradition of making patachitras is passed down the generations from father to son. 

FACTS :-

• These paintings were traditionally done only by males. However, in recent times, some women artists have also taken up this artform.
• The “pattas” are made from silk or cotton through an arduous process that takes the women a minimum 5 days to complete.
• The adhesive if used any for these paintings are made in tamarind seeds. The tamarind seed powder is soaked in water overnight and then boiled to provide it a gummy consistency.
• The paintbrushes used by the chitrakars are typically made of the keya root. The finer ones have wooden handles and are made of mouse hair. At the centre of the brush are about a dozen long mouse hairs, which, when dipped in paint, have a needle-point edge. 
• The central colors used in Patachitra are red, brick red, yellow, white and lamp black. , all of which are derived from natural sources. Conch shells are used for white, black comes from lamp soot, yellow from ‘Hartala’ stone, red is made from ‘Hingulal’ stone, green comes from plants and blue from indigo.

This is a very rare art form found in houses across India. But a very natural and difficult form made by the tribal artist of Orissa.There is not even one artificial process used for the formation of this magnificent art. This popular folk art of Orissa pays close attention to definition and detail.The symbolism used for gods in Pattachitras is very realistic in terms of form, shape and accessories . Also, it is easy to observe the continuity and similarity in the images depicted in the various patachitras. 

There are very less places in Mumbai where you will find this art. But one place that encourages this art form is CraftsIndia. Find the perfect Patachitra Painting at the :

CraftsIndia Gallery,

LokVriksha, Tulshidham Road, Opp Vasant Vihar, Pokheran road 2, Thane West , Maharashtra.

Kajol Dave

 PABUJI KI PHAD , THE HEROIC ART OF RAJASTHAN

Phad Painting (Craftsindia Gallery)

PABUJI Ki Phad is a religious scroll painting of folk deities, which is used for a musical rendition of the only surviving ancient traditional folk art form in the world of the epic of Pabuji, the Rathod Rajput chief.Pabuji is worshipped as a folk-deity. He lived in 14th century (16th century is also mentioned) in a remote village known as Kulu in Rajasthan.In villages of Rajasthan, Pabuji was considered an ascetic and hence his blessings were sought for veterinary services provided by his disciples, the Bhopas. He is also invoked to cure children possessed of spirits by driving them away ; this is done by tying an amulet created during the early hours of the morning, towards the end of the narration of the Phad, by circling a holy thread seven times around the flame and then seven knots.

Phad painting (Craftsindia Gallery)

The Phad or Par represents, in its painting, the court of Pabuji (as a historical true Rajput chief who sacrifices his life for protection of others), his palace and his divine character as an incarnation of Laksmana, brother of the Rama of the Ramayana Hindu epic story, the forts in which he lived as well as the sanctum of his goddess Deval. The back drop of such narrations is invariably in the desert villages of Rajasthan.The epic story of Pabhuji has been analysed by historians with respect to the other epic stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata and the conclusion drawn is that the Pabuji tradition is one multilayered and collective narrative construction of different Rajasthani performers, transmitted in oral and written forms 

Facts :

Phad Painting (Craftsindia Gallery)

• The Phads or Pars are painted by professional painters called citero
• There are at least seventeen or eighteen painters involved in painting this art form. 
• The art requires usually about five meters by one and a half metres in size, 5feet x 15 feet long. The phad is painted in bold colors and is rolled on to two shafts of bamboo, thus making it easy to carry. 
• Painted by the Joshis of SHAHPURA . Shree Lal Joshi and Shanti Lal Joshi are the most noted artists of the phad painting, who are known for their innovations and creativity.
• They have been used for centuries as a backdrop by Bhopas or the bards of Rajasthan who go from village to village singing about the exploits of legendary heroes. 
• It is a hereditary art form, which is passed on from father to son.

The painting carries a very strong tradition and heroism of the Rathod Rajputs .This type of painting will be found in a lot of Rajasthani houses where the Father passes the painting or the tradition to his Son. You don't want to miss out on this epic painting of India.

The one place where you can find this legendary art is :Craftsindia Gallery - LokVriksha, Tulshidham Road, Opp Vasant Vihar, Pokheran road 2, Thane West , Maharashtra.

Keep following our blogs for more interesting stuff on Indian Art.

Kajol Dave

        THE LIFE OF BUDDHA, THANGKA PAINTINGS 

A Thangka is a Tibetan silk painting with embroidery, usually depicting a Buddhist deity, scene, or mandala of some sort. The thankga is not a flat creation like an oil painting or acrylic painting but consists of a picture panel which is painted or embroidered over which a textile is mounted and then over which is laid a cover, usually silk.History of thangka Paintings in Nepal began in 11th century A.D. when Buddhists and Hindus began to make illustration of the deities and natural scenes.Thanka / Thangka painting is one of the major science out the five major and five minor fields of knowledge. It's origin can be traced all the way back to the time of Lord Buddha. The main themes of Thanka / Thangka paintings are religious.


Thanka painting's lining and measurement, costumes, implementations and ornaments are all based on Indian style. The drawing of figures are based on Nepalese style and the background sceneries are based on Chinese style. Thus, the Thanka / Thangka paintings became a unique and distinctive art.

Thangka Painting (CraftsIndia Gallery, Thane)

TYPES:

• The Thangka art is classified into two types : One that is Painted and the other made on Silk ,either by appliqué or embroidery. 

They can be further divided into more specific forms that is :

• The most common out of all - painted in colors
• applique
• Black Background—meaning gold line on a black background
• Blockprints—paper or cloth outlined renderings, by woodcut/woodblock printing
• Embroidery
• Gold Background—an auspicious treatment, used judiciously for peaceful, long-life deities and fully enlightened buddhas
• Red Background—literally gold line, but referring to gold line on a vermillion

FACTS :

• Typical thangkas are fairly small, between about 18 and 30 inches tall or wide, there are also giant festival thangkas, usually Appliqué, and designed to be unrolled against a wall in a monastery for particular religious occasions. 
• These are likely to be wider than they are tall, and may be sixty or more feet across and perhaps twenty or more high.

Thangka Painting (CraftsIndia Gallery , Thane)

Thangka often overflow with symbolism and allusion. Because the art is explicitly religious, all symbols and allusions must be in accordance with strict guidelines laid out in Buddhist scripture.The artist must be properly trained and have sufficient religious understanding, knowledge, and background to create an accurate and appropriate Thangka.

The art glorifies your surrounding as it is absolutely traditional and has high sentimental values. The colors used in the Thangka paintings are bright and fresh. Having this art in your house can make you feel more peaceful and saintly . Also, it is a beauty in itself to have this art at your house where most of the people find it hard to get the art in the Indian markets . Whereas, there is one place that encourages the beauty of India i.e, CraftsIndia Gallery , Thane 

Stop thinking and make your house more peaceful and bright .

Where to find the painting : Craftsindia Gallery - LokVriksha, Tulshidham Road, Opp Vasant Vihar, Pokheran road 2, Thane West , Maharashtra.

Keep following our blogs for more .

Kajol Dave

 HEART OF THE TRIBAL PAINTERS,WARLI PAINTING

The First time i saw this beautiful art at CraftsIndia Gallery Thane

 Warli Painting is a very popular form of tribal painting. Their major themes include the harvest season,celebration, wedding,rituals and births .The word “ Warli” comes from “warla” which means a piece of land or a field Despite being in such close proximity of the largest metropolis in India, Warli tribesmen are still not urban. Warli painting is an important part of the Warli tribe people’s culture.  The warlis carry on this tradition stretching back to 2500BC. Their mural painting are similar to those done between 500 and 10,000BCE in the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka, in Madhya Pradesh. It is become so popular that it has now been appreciated all over the world.

Theme of this Art :-

(CraftsIndia Gallery , Thane)

Images of human beings and animals, along with scenes from daily life are created in a loose rhythmic pattern. Painted white on mud walls, they are pretty close to pre-historic cave paintings in execution and usually depict scenes of human figures engaged in activities like hunting, dancing, sowing ,harvesting, going out, drawing water from well, drying clothes or even dancing.

The first time I saw a Warli painting it was on the walls of CraftsIndia Gallery in Thane . I was fascinated, it told a remarkable story with just line, circles and triangles. The pattern of the art  basically consists of geometrical patterns like :-

•Circle: representing the sun and the moon
•Triangle: triangle derived from mountains and pointed trees
•Square: indicating a sacred enclosure or a piece of land. So the central motive in each ritual painting is the square.
These geometric figures are joined together to form beautiful patterns .Like two apex of triangles are joined together to form a human figure.

Warli Painting (CraftsIndia Gallery, Thane)

The background of this Art that Warlis typically use are : Henna , Indigo, Ochre, Black, Earthy Mud, Brick Red. 

The beauty of the art lies in its simplicity and reality. A warli painting can enhance the look of your house .Fill them up soon and make your house look more beautiful and traditional because one art can give a whole new look to your walls also It shows the beautiful side of the rural India which has attracted people all across india.

To buy the perfect Warli painting for your house visit : 

Craftsindia Gallery:LokVriksha, Tulshidham Road, Opp Vasant Vihar, Pokheran road 2, Thane West , Maharashtra.

Keep following our blogs for more.