NEW DELHI: India, which is known for its rich cultural diversity, is home to nearly 2,500 tribes and regional groupings. Various artefacts like paintings, sculptures, pottery, seals, and tablets with intricate artwork and deft craftsmanship, which were found during the excavations at the Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro are proof of India’s rich cultural heritage. Every art form found in Indian states has its own unique distinct style, rarity and speciality. Among these popular art forms, the art developed and practised by India’s tribal communities is the most vibrant as they provide a peek into our rich cultural heritage.

Let’s have a look at some of the incredible tribal art forms of India.

Warli Folk Paintings: Dating back to 2500 BC, this tribal art is famous for its elementary wall paintings. Found near the Western Ghats of India, this art form is one of the finest examples of folk paintings. Practised mainly by the Warli tribe, this art form mainly depicts the nature and social rituals of the tribes in basic geometrical shapes such as – square, circle, and triangle. These paintings are carved using a bamboo brush in white colour on a dark red coloured background. The painting portrays the daily activities of tribal life such as hunting, festivals, fishing, farming, dancing etc.

Gond Art: This art form was popularised by the Gond tribe, which is scattered in central India. This art is carved on the mud walls. The Gond art or painting is carried out in order to communicate and preserve the Gond tribal community’s culture. In this art form, the painting is drawn on paper, canvas, cloth etc. Lines, dots and dashes are significant characteristics of the Gond art. These paintings are so good in quality that they can last for nearly 20 years even without any tampering.

Kavad Art: This 500-year-old art form was mainly practised by Jangid Brahmins of Chittorgarh in Rajasthan. It is a three-dimensional, multiple-panelled box or portable temple that can be unfolded. Several Gods and Goddesses are painted on this portable temple by the artists. These portable temple panels are made of light wood and mostly depict stories from popular epics like Ramayana, Puranas and Bhagavad Gita.

Bhil Art: This art form was developed by Bhils, who are the second-largest tribal community in India. This art form, which depicts the life of Bhils, is practised in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. The Bhils used dots to depict various aspects of their lives using vibrant colours. It was also their way of connecting with their Gods, Goddesses and nature. These paintings usually focus on natural elements like Sun, Moon, Gods, and nature. Herbal colours are mostly used for completing these paintings on clay walls or paper. The Bhil artists used neem sticks and twigs to portray nature while using natural dyes.

Kalamkari: Kalamkari literally translates into” drawings done with a pen.” This art form, which is extremely popular in Andhra Pradesh, is more than 3000 years old. Two distinct styles of Kalamkari exist in India today – ‘Machilipatnam’ and ‘Srikalahasti.’  In the Kalamkari form of painting, fine bamboo pens are used by artists to express their art. This art form flourished during the Golconda Sultans’ reign and also display Persian influences. These days, Kalamkari painting on clothing is a popular sartorial style, and it usually depicts scenes from epics like Ramayan and Mahabharata.

Tanjore Painting: This incredible art form originated in the town of Thanjavur in the state of Tamil Nadu. This art form, which was first developed in the late 16th century, is actually a celebration of the region’s rich artistic tradition. This classical South-Indian art form is famous for its extensive use of vibrant colours, glass, stones and gold foils. These paintings, which mostly depict Hindu Gods and Goddesses, are carved on a wooden board made either from teak wood or jackfruit. The deities depicted in these paintings generally have round faces and oval-shaped eyes and their main body is enclosed using an arch, curtain, etc.

Madhubani Art: Also known as Mithila art, this art form is popular in present-day Bihar. This art form was practised by women of Mithila. Madhubani painting mostly consists of images of mythological figures, gods, flora, and fauna. The paintings are made on freshly plastered mud walls, which generally depict nature or religious elements like Shiva, Krishna, Saraswati, Rama, Durga, Sun, Moon, trees, flowers, animals, wedding scenes etc. Brushes, twigs, fingers, and match-sticks with natural dyes and pigments are used to complete Madhubani paintings. 

Phad Art: Having its roots in Rajasthan, this art form is primarily a religious style of scroll painting that depicts the folk gods Pabuji or Devnarayan. The canvas or fabric that it is painted on is referred to as phad and is often 30 or 15 feet long. Vegetable colours are used in this style of painting to depict the heroic acts of deities.

Pattachitra: One of the oldest forms, it dates back to the 5th century. It was very popular in Odisha and West Bengal. It is a cloth-based painting which portrays Gods and Goddesses. In ancient times, this style of painting was used for storytelling. Pattachitra paintings which literally means ”pictures on canvas” focus on religious and mythological themes. These types of paintings have a dominant colour palette like red, black, yellow, white, and indigo. This style of painting is very time-consuming and can even take months to complete.