10 Beautiful Traditional Indian Art Forms You Must Know About
The abundant cultural reservoir of India is echoed in the diverse and enthralling art forms, folk arts and crafts. Traditional Indian art is an umbrella term encompassing myriad artworks representing traditions, customs, and ideologies passed on from generation to generation. While some art forms moved towards new material options and paints, others remained unaltered by modernisation.
Typically created using natural colours and materials, Indian art is unique and splendid and has captivated people around the globe. These art forms serve as a means of creative expression and convey various spiritual beliefs and traditions. Every art form expresses the brilliant craftsmanship and nuanced artistry of Indian artists.
Let's delve into ten beautiful traditional Indian art forms that have stood the test of time and continue to capture the hearts of art enthusiasts around the world.
1. Warli Painting
Originated in Maharashtra, Warli painting is an Indigenous tribal art form practised by the Warli tribes from Thane and Nasik. The paintings often depict nature, daily life, and diverse social rituals. Steeped in folk art heritage, Warli paintings offer a unique view of the history and culture of the tribe. Traditionally, this style has been the domain of women. They paint the mud walls of the houses using twigs and natural colours to mark weddings, harvests, and other festivities.
The paintings are done using a white pigment made from rice flour against a contrasting background in brown, red, or yellow. They feature several geometric shapes, such as circles, triangles, and lines, to portray tribal life and nature. Warli paintings were used to embellish the huts of the tribal people.
Warli paintings are characterised by minimalist vocabulary containing circles, triangles, squares, and lines, and the linear and monochromatic style of Warli mirrors the prehistoric cave paintings. The paintings depict the daily activities of the tribes, including farming, dancing, hunting, playing music, and other festivities.
Vayeda Brothers from the Warli community in Ganjad, Maharashtra, are well known for bringing contemporary Warli art into existence.
2. Madhubani Painting
One of the celebrated traditional Indian art forms, Madhubani painting, also known as Mithila Art, is a distinct style of painting that originated in the Mithila region of Bihar. The art form is characterised by line drawings surrounded by bright colours and contrast patterns. Traditionally, women do this painting, though men are also involved today. Tribal motifs and the use of earthy colours are what make this genre popular.
Usually, Madhubani paintings are done using mineral pigments, which the artists paint over a mud wall. Nowadays, the works are painted on paper, cloth, and canvas. The black colour is obtained by blending soot with cow dung, blue from indigo, green from wood apple leaves, yellow from turmeric, red from kusam flower or red sandalwood, and white from rice flour. The paintings primarily depict mythological themes, wedding scenes, religious motifs, geometrical designs, and rural life.
3. Saura Art
Saura art is considered a style of mural painting made by the Saura tribe of Orissa. Also known as 'ikons' or idital', these paintings are done using rice flour on a background of red oxide. Orissa has numerous tribal communities; among them, Saura is considered one of the oldest tribes in India. The Saura art has religious associations, depicting various images like humans, horses, elephants, the sun, the moon, etc. The paintings are done to please the ancestors and Gods so that the villagers are saved from the clutches of evil.
Recently, the Saura art has been recognised with GI or geographical indication tag from the government of India. These paintings stand out for their beauty, elegance, as well as aesthetic and ritualistic association. Unique and exciting, the meaning of Saura art can be clearly interpreted by the priests or the picture men of the tribe. The small details of these pictograms convey the everyday life pattern of the Saura community.
4. Kalamkari
The word Kalamkari denotes painting with a pen, and the origin of the term can be traced back to the Persian and Indian trade merchants. With an intense connection to Persian motifs, Kalamkari is a magnificent form of textile art practised for more than 3000 years. Mostly popular in Andhra Pradesh, it involves hand-painted textiles with natural or vegetable dyes. A piece of pointed bamboo stick is used to create these earthy, majestic artworks.
The artworks often depict mythological scenes, trees, birds and animal motifs, floral patterns, etc. Various styles of Kalamkari art can be seen, such as Machilipatanam, which resembles the Iranian style with intricate details, and Srikalahasti style inspired by the temple architecture. In the Srikalahasti style, the artist uses the traditional bamboo kalam or pen to create the outlines and to fill the colours. Mythological themes are often depicted in Kalahasti, and divine figures such as Saraswati, Durga, and Shiva are the main sources of inspiration. Machilipatanam style is more commercial as it uses wooden blocks or hand blocks to carve the outline drawing, which is then used to print on fabrics.
5. Gond Painting
Gond art is a type of painting created by the indigenous Pardhaan Gond tribe in Madhya Pradesh. The Pardhaan people were the singers and storytellers of the area who used to spread the mythology and culture of their roots in the olden times. Gond art began as a wall decoration, which they created daily on their mud walls. Gond art is characterised by various floral patterns, bird and animal motifs, and other intricate designs.
Brimming with dynamic colours and patterned designs, the Gond paintings display the mutuality between humans and animals. Mythological tales and oral histories are also conveyed through these paintings. The colours for this traditional Indian art form are made from natural resources, such as cow dung, coloured soil, mud, flowers, and leaves.
Jangarh Singh Shyam, a Pardhaan boy from the village, was discovered by J. Swaminathan, the renowned artist and brought away to work as a muralist. Shyam's success in the art world breathed new life into the community and allowed them to express their visual narratives. Some of the renowned artists who received international acclaim in gond art include JangarhSingh Shyam, Venkat Shyam, Bhajju Shyam, etc. Art Alive holds a collection of paintings by celebrated Gond artists.
6. Miniature Painting
Small but majestic, Indian miniatures are small-scale, intricate paintings dating back to the 9th century CE. Miniature paintings were done on manuscripts made of dried palm leaves or clothes even before the invention of paper. By the 12th century, miniature paintings flourished extensively, incorporating more colours like gold, silvers, and a unique ultramarine blue from lapis lazuli. The paintings were inspired mainly by Indian literature, and the artists used them to illustrate epics, fables, and religious texts.
The Rajastani, Pahari, Mughal, and Deccan schools are some of the most celebrated miniature painting schools in India. Rajasthani style of miniature paintings incorporates rich colours and powerful lines, often depicting themes from Indian mythology and folklore. Pahari paintings, or mountain paintings, originated in the Himalayas and are known for their delicate brushwork and soft colour palette. Miniature paintings flourished during the Mughal era. The style is recognised for intricate details and lifelike depictions of people and landscapes.
7. Kalighat Painting
The Kalighat painting originated in nineteenth-century colonial Bengal and was close to the Kalighat temple. The scroll painters and the potters who migrated from rural Bengal mainly practised this form of painting. Similar to other art forms in India, the primary subjects of the paintings were Hindu gods and goddesses and their numerous incarnations. Later, everyday themes and social and political themes were included in the Kalighat style. Powerful lines, vibrant colours, and simplifications are the main characteristics of Kalighat painting. Natural colours made from burnt carbon, indigo, turmeric, and rice powder are used to create the paintings.
Kalighat paintings were also made based on the Babu culture; the Babusare a new class of Bengalis who adopted Western manners. The babus are depicted as high-class rich people identified with well-oiled hair, chewing betel leaves, smoking a hukkah, and toying with courtesan.
8. Pichwai Painting
Dating back to 400 years, the Pichwai painting originated in the temple town of Nathdwara, Rajasthan. One of the oldest art forms in India, the Pichwai, is used to decorate the wall behind the Shrinathji temple of Nathdwara. The term Pichh means behind, and Wai means textile. The paintings are done on cloth using natural dyes and were used to adorn the shrine and celebrate the changing seasons and festivals in Lord Krishna’s life.
The paintings were created by artisans who revered Lord Krishna, and it consists of various mythological motifs such as Radha, the gopis, lotuses, and Nandi. Some paintings are so large that multiple artists would be engaged in the making of one Pichwai. The art is also used as a method to teach people about Lord Krishna’s childhood. The paintings portray festivals like Holi, Raas Leela, Govardhan Pooja, Janmashtami, Diwali and Holi. Hailing from the family of Nathdwara painters, Yugalkishor Sharma is a contemporary artist who blends his traditional knowledge with new materials and techniques.
9. Pattachitra Painting
Pattachitra is an ancient art form practised in Orissa and Bengal. The paintings are inspired by Puri Jagannath and are based on Hindu mythology. The paintings of Patachitra bear similarities to ancient murals from the 5th century found in Puri, Konark, and the Bhubaneswar region. The artists are known as Patuas, and the art form is admired by art enthusiasts around the world.
The paintings are known for intricate details and the depiction of mythology and folktales. Earlier, the artist used to paint on palm leaves and tussar silk. Blending both folk and classical elements, the paintings are made with natural colours: white from conch shells, red from hingula, and yellow using Harikala. This art form is traditionally made on canvases and as wall art.
10. Kerala Mural Painting
The mural painting of Kerala is a form of traditional Indian artwith a unique aesthetics. Most of the Kerala murals are done during the 15th and 19th centuries, while some of them date back to the 8th century. The mural at the Tirunandikkara cave temple is considered one of the oldest murals in Kerala. More than 150 temples in Kerala consist of ancient mural paintings. Natural pigments, minerals, and plants are used to create the paintings. The most used pigments include saffron red, saffron yellow, green, red, white, blue and golden yellow. The murals were often painted on the walls of temples and palaces, and themes included the sagas of gods and goddesses.
Two styles of colour application are present in mural painting. In the wet fresco style, colours are applied on a damp surface. The application of colours on a dry surface is known as the dry fresco style.
From the delicate miniature paintings to the vibrant murals of Kerala, each art form displays the artistry and creativity of Indian artists. Traditional Indian arts are a testament to the immense cultural heritage and traditions of India. These art forms also help preserve the diverse narratives, folk tales, religious beliefs, and traditions of India.
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