Rock paintings are one of the very first documentation of a civilization in a region. These hold great significance in understanding the life of the people of a certain time. Giving valuable insights into the culture and traditions of people of a certain region, these paintings are not just a documentation but a window to the beliefs of a certain group of people.
Various rock paintings have been discovered in India from time immemorial. The Bhimbetka cave paintings in Madhya Pradesh are one of the most popular and historically significant paintings of India. Located in the Vindhyan ranges, these cave paintings are estimated to be around 30,000 years old. The stylisation of these paintings are mostly in the form of stick-figures denoting humans in various scenes of hunting, fighting wars and other minimalistic representations of animals. These paintings used various colours like red, white, brown, purple, and yellow, using natural ingredients like limestone, haematite ores, charcoal and chalcedony rock.
With simplistic figures and designs, the Bhimbetka rock paintings were a great source of information regarding the communal fabric of the people during the time.
Similarly, in contemporary times, various types of rock paintings have emerged from different parts of the country, establishing the presence of the multitude of tribal cultures in the country. Most of these paintings have been found to be made in a similar vein with regards to the Bhimbetka paintings. The stick-figure stylisation of humans and animals is a continuous trend in these paintings, albeit slight differences.
This article will talk about three tribal
paintings of India, influenced by cave paintings in particular, namely: Warli paintings of Maharashtra, Saura paintings of Odisha, and Muria paintings of Chhattisgarh. While listing in detail the characteristics of these paintings, this article will also analyse them in comparison to each other.
Let us now have a look at these paintings:
Warli Paintings of Maharashtra
Shadika Chowk: Warli Painting by Anil Wangad
Warli painting is a form of tribal Indian art, mostly done by the Warli tribe of Maharashtra. Other communities such as the Malkhar, Koli, Kathodi, Kokana, Dhodi, also practise this art-form, which is an intrinsic part of their culture. Warli art typically represents the culture and traditions of the tribes. It essentially depicts the essence of the beliefs and ways of life of the tribe. It is generally made on the mud-walls of the house of people and is typically dual toned, using white on base of ochre pigments. These pigments are generally naturally derived, except for instances when this art is translated on a cloth or a canvas, which also happens in current times.
This art is usually geometric in nature and uses stick figures to denote humans. Many other geometrical shapes such as triangles, circles, and lines are used to draw nature and other daily life activities. The central theme in these paintings include social events, such as harvests, festivals, marriages, and religious rituals. On an ochre coloured background of a wall, figures and shapes are drawn with white pigment, often derived from mixing rice paste and water. Stick figures of people are depicted in these paintings celebrating and mostly dancing.
Warli art, much like the Warli community, encompasses a spirit of togetherness and kinship. The art also emphasises on the importance of nature and the fauna around the community. Some of the most well known scenes depicted in Warli art, are the Tarpa dance, Tree of Life, Baarisi festival, and Peran. This art-form rarely uses religious iconography or religious symbols. Instead, it highlights the reverence that the community holds for the plants, animals, sun, moon, and the social fabric of the community.
Saura Paintings of Odisha
Grandeur of Saura: Celebrating Colorful Tribal Village Life by Apindra Swain
Saura Paintings are a unique style of wall mural paintings that originate from the Indian state of Odisha. It is traditionally done by the Saura tribe of the region, a community that is popularly known for their vibrant culture. In contrast to Warli art, Saura paintings are essentially based on religious, spiritual, and ceremonial themes. These paintings are extremely detailed and complex, although they employ a similar stylisation of stick figure, lines, and geometrical shapes, as in the Warli style of paintings. Saura paintings also use naturally derived colours, and these paintings are also traditionally done on an ochre-coloured wall, with figures and shapes made from white pigment. However, it is important to be noted here that Saura paintings, unlike Warli paintings, incorporate the use of a wider colour palette. Oftentimes, colours like yellow and red are used to fill the details in these paintings.
This art-form is commonly drawn on the walls of the houses of people and is believed by the Saura community to provide divine protection and blessings into their homes. The central theme of these paintings is Ittal or Idital, which calls for great religious devotion from the people of the tribe. Ittals are designs made in a circular manner, with the circle representing a house and various intricate shapes and designs are made around it. Each shape and symbol translates a certain meaning and way of life of the Saura people. However, these mostly have religious associations.
Muria Paintings of Chattisgarh
Muria tribal paintings are done by the Muria tribe of Chhattisgarh. They are part of the Gond tribal group in the region. These paintings emerge from the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh and are used to express the deep connections that the Muria tribe has with nature and spirituality. Traditionally, these paintings are done on walls of houses using dots of red and white clay. Historically, these paintings were done in Ghotuls, a local dormitory for young boys and girls in the region. They were taught various significant cultural practices, art, as well as literature. However, with the advent of modern times, the existence of Ghotuls have reduced to a great extent. It is because of this that the art of Muria paintings have shifted from the walls of Ghotuls to that of people’s houses and canvases. As with Warli and Saura paintings, Muria paintings are also generally done on the walls of people’s houses and the colours are derived from natural ingredients. There is no particular order in which these paintings are made, however, the stylisation in these paintings are similar to that of Warlia and Saura arts.
However, Muria paintings distinguish themselves with its colourful palette depicting humans, animals, and mythical creatures. Typical themes generally range from depiction of human activities, like agriculture, harvest and festivals, to accounting local legends and mythological creatures. It is worth noting that Muria paintings, as opposed to the other two types of paintings, always incorporate a narrative style. With elaborate stories about mythology, tribal gods, and lineal heroes, these paintings infuse the Muria culture within them.
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