Arts & Crafts
The Arts And Crafts Of Gujarat Woven Within A Strong Traditional Base With An Ecologically Vibrant Perspective Reflects The Rich Cultural And Historical Diversity Of The State. Craft In Gujarat Was Already Highly Developed 4000 Years Ago, When The People Of The Indus Valley Civilisation Made Earhen Pots & Terracotta Beads. Around The 1st C. Ad Gujarat Traded A Variety Of Goods And Exportedfine Textiles To The World. Over The Sanctuaries Traders, Seafarers And Each Invader Introdeced New Ideas That Influenced The Creative Expression Of Local Craftspeople.
Craft Societies In Gujarat Evolved In Harmony With Nature And Tried To Create An Ecological Balance Between Aesthetics And Utilitarian Value. The Raw Basis Of Creativity For The Local Artisan Emerged From The Sensitivity Of Knowing His Fellow Villagers Who Were Also His Clients, At A Very Intimate And Personal Level. Designs Changed Every 100 Miles Based On Local Resources And Creativity. Craftspeople Were Respected For Their Role In Fulfilling The Functional And Aesthetic Needs Of Life.
In Gujarat, Craft Related Guilds Or Clusters And Their Inter Dependency Have Been The Corner Stone’s Of Trade And Commerce. Trade With Vivid Cultures Of Varied Eras Enriched And Contributed To The Growing Creativity And Development Of Arts And Crafts Of The State.
Art And Craft Forms Of The State Are Products Of Daily Need, Manifestation Of Cultural And Ritualistic Evolvement, Innovation Of New Forms, Techniques And A Magnificent Display Of The Creator’s Self-Expression. With The Growth Of Urban Settlements, The Inherited Intellectual Wealth Of Culture And Folk Traditions Is Constantly Undergoing Change And Adapting To Its New Settings, Dovetailing Tradition And Modernity For Continued Sustainability Of The Art And Craft Forms.
Folks Art Forms Of Gujarat:
An Amalgamation Of Arts And Culture Has Been Formatting Excellent Instances Of Creativity In The Folk Art History Of Gujarat. The Artists Explored Different Mediums To Exhibit Their Creativity And Imagination While Continuing To Feed Social And Cultural Necessities. Religion Plays A Major Role In The History Of Folk Art Forms And Has Been Practiced By Various Communities For Preaching And Popularizing Their Beliefs. Aesthetic Appeal And Beautification Blended Along With Functional Needs And Necessities Has Been The Core Impetus In The Origin Of Varied Folk Art Forms.
Pithora Paintings:
Pithora Is A Traditional Mural Painted On The Mud Walls Of Living Spaces Having Ritualistic And Religious Significance For Rathwa, Bhil And Nayak Communities. The Term Pithora Traces Its Origins To The Rathwa Tribal Deity Of Food Grains, God Pithoro. These Paintings Have A Deep Connection With The Tribal Communities And The Sacramental Aspect Of The Forest Which Nurtures Them. The Paintings Usually Encompass The Marriage Of The God Pithoro Surrounded By A Variety Of Images Dealing With Myths, History And Daily Life. The Random Balance Of The Wilderness Is Mirrored In The Composition Of These Paintings And The Elements Are Lucidly Patterned Echoing Surrounding Visual Inputs.
It Is A Male Dominated Art Form Having A Group Of Painters Taking Part In The Commissioned Ritual. The Vibrant Color Palette Was Conventionally Sourced From Natural Mineral Dyestuffs With The Color Fixer Extracted From The Flowers Of The Mahuda Tree. Contemporary Artists Addressing An Urban Audience Have Shifted To Canvas With Fabric And Chemical Paints. The Main Colors Are Yellow, Indigo, Orange, Green, Vermilion, Red, Ultramarine, Black And Silver.
Pithora Paintings:
The Rathwa Community Practices Ritualastic Wall Pantings Called Pithora, Which Are An Offering To Their God, Baba Pithora. These Paintings Have A Deep Connection With The Tribal Communities And The Sacramental Aspect Of The Forest Which Nurtures Them. The Paintings Are Commisioned To Remove Ill Circumstances And Bring Peace, Prosperity And Happiness Obver The Household. They Call “Lakhras” Or Pithora Painters, Who Are Guided By The Narration Of The Badwa Or Head Priest. The Central Theme Is The Wedding Of Pithora And Pithori, With Members Of The Universe Such As The Sun And Moon, Stars, Plants And Animals Attending As Guests. Horses, A Popular Representation, Symbolize A Number Of Forms Including Family Forefathers And Visions Of God.
Geographical Origins In State- Panchmahal District, Dahod District, Vadodara District
Community Involved- Bhils, Rathwas, Nayaks
Traditional Product- Murals
Contemporary Products- Murals; Paintings On Canvas
Raw Material Used- Canvas, Paints
Tools And Equipment- Brush, Bamboo Twig