life long learning through expression in lines in different states of india

Joshi, D.K. / Educationia Confab
ISSN: 2320-009X
LIFE LONG LEARNING THROUGH EXPRESSION IN LINES
IN DIFFERENT STATES OF INDIA
Dr. Dina Krishna Joshi
Post Doctoral Scholar, Gayatrinagar, New Bus Stand, Junagarh, Kalahandi,
Odisha, India
Abstract
The ethos and spirit of creativity can be understood by studying floor designs of various parts
of India. A variety of techniques are prevalent for making the designs. Generally, the designs
are made freehand, where the artist evolves the form as the work is in progress. Hence, the
design, beginning at the centre with a dot expands in concentric patterns of geometrical
shapes of circles, squares, triangles, straight lines and curves. It is a natural way of drawing,
beginning at the centre, growing larger with each repetition of a pattern. The design is made
with chalk or lime powder or with a net mixture of rice powder and lime as in South India.
Lime acts as a disinfectant and keeps ants and termites away. It is used both for its utility and
for creating beautiful lines. The brightness and purity of the white colour on a clean ground
or wall are also part of the symbolism of the entire design. Since all the components are of
natural material, the colours do not stain the floor and can be easily erased. There are
designs which make use of colours like geru and others where flowers, petals, and burnt husk
are used. The use of flowers gives the design a three dimensional form. Floor designs have
universal appeal. This rich yet diverse art form cuts across regional boundaries. Geometrical
shapes of circles, squares, triangles, straight lines and curves can be taught in educational
institutions but Indian girls and women learn this from traditions and rich Indian culture.
Key words: Floor design, Wall painting, Drawing, Geru, Lime, Tradition
Introduction
The most drastic effect of colonial rule fell on many aspects of Indian art and crafts.
Several arts like weaving were severely hurt by British trading and colonial manufacturing
policies. Some crafts fell into extinction. Today, after years of dedicated work by many
Indians, both in research and marketing, there have been a revival and rehabilitation of
craftsman and their art. These crafts that have evolved over the centuries have many lessons
to teach us. If we watch a potter, a weaver at work they never waste their materials. As the
materials have been dug from the earth, they are therefore considered precious and sacred.
The technique and skills in art making have also been perfected over generations and a hand
made object has a special significance over machine made things.
The wide variety of natural geographical zones found in India offered the artists many
types of materials. Materials obtained from the earth such as clay, wood and stone are also
very varied. Clay is commonly found throughout India, but the pottery of each region is both
unique and special. These arts have many educational value and significance.
Vol. 2, No. 2, February 2013
54
Joshi, D.K. / Educationia Confab
ISSN: 2320-009X
Educational Benefits of Art forms
Early morning, the house is cleaned, the area in and around the house is washed of
dust and dirt and, wherever possible, coated with fresh mud wash. A floor design is then
made at the entrance. The making of the floor design is thus an essential part of everyday
household routine. Designs on floors and walls convey the message of happiness and well
being of the household. Floor decorations are not meant to be permanent; the idea is not to
preserve the design; it is meant to be made everyday and hence there are different designs for
each occasion, each season and each festival. The non-permanent aspect of floor designs is an
unique feature of this art, a visual portrayal of the belief that human beings will always create
and make their world a more beautiful place. As most of the floor designs and wall paintings
are done by girls and women traditionally, unknowingly they learn the geometrical design,
drawings and painting forms which definitely have educational value.
Floor designs and wall paintings of different states
1. On religious occasions like Nagapanchami, which is dedicated to Shesnag, symbolic
alpana floor decorations are commonly made in West Bengal homes. Portraying serpent
figures alongside other geometrical and floral motifs, this design is made with rice paste or
white chalk.
Figure I Alpana, West Bengal
Vol. 2, No. 2, February 2013
55
Joshi, D.K. / Educationia Confab
ISSN: 2320-009X
2. Ekadasi and Devuthan and festivities of Bihar are marked by pictorial aripana floor
decorations. Comprising elegant lotus and symbolic motifs woven around squares and
triangles. These designs are also used for purposes of wall decoration.
Figure II Aripana floor decoration, Bihar
3. The design is based on the auspicious swastika symbol. In many parts of the country and
specially in Himachal Pradesh, Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh one sees variations of this
design.
Figure III Floor decoration, Maharastra
Vol. 2, No. 2, February 2013
56
Joshi, D.K. / Educationia Confab
ISSN: 2320-009X
4. The festival of Gangaur in Rajasthan brings in the warmth of the summer air. Young
women design relevant mandanas like bijani, bara, bavarai,etc. , to highlight the specific
characteristic of the season. Bijanis(fans) are sometimes skillfully shown in sets of five or
nine to form spectacular floor designs. The triangular handle is drawn and filled with lines
and motifs while the semicircular fan is decoratively designed.
Figure IV Floor design, Rajasthan
5. Floor decorations in Kerala are deftly designed with flowers, leaves, grass, etc. Also
known as puvu (flower) kolam, these designs based on simple geometrical patterns. A brass
lamp is generally placed at the centre of the floor design.
Vol. 2, No. 2, February 2013
57
Joshi, D.K. / Educationia Confab
ISSN: 2320-009X
Figure V Floor decoration, Kerala (Puvu Kolam design)
6. Popular in the interiors of Himachal Pradesh, this auspicious chowk is designed by the
purohits to sanctify the puja rice flour, this elegant floor design is made over sand, spread
evenly on the floor. The design is based on the auspicious swastika symbols.
Figure VI Floor Design, Himachal Pradesh
7. The Hridayakamal, Tamilnadu associated with Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, is an
auspicious Kolam design which generally decorates the puja areas on Fridays. Lakshmi is
commonly depicted as seated inside a magnificient lotus flower. The size and designing
technique of this floor design varies from seven to nine or eleven dots placed diagonally
across to form a circle.
Vol. 2, No. 2, February 2013
58
Joshi, D.K. / Educationia Confab
ISSN: 2320-009X
Figure VII Hridayakamal, Kolam design,Tamilnadu
8. Mandana designs of Madhya Pradesh are softly stylized. This simple mandana floor
design , appropriately made for Ekadasi and Debuthan, is imaginatively developed using
simple decorations on parallel lines crossing each other at the center.
Vol. 2, No. 2, February 2013
59
Joshi, D.K. / Educationia Confab
ISSN: 2320-009X
Figure VIII Mandana, Madhya Pradesh
9. The tribals and non tribals of Odisha possess some unique culture which are prevalent in
different religious occasions. Different art forms like wall paintings are seen beautifully
decorated with lime, geru and coloured clay.
Figure IX Wall Painting, Odisha
10. Tankha painting of Sikkim are also very famous. Colourful paintings are beautifully
decoraed by expert artists.
Vol. 2, No. 2, February 2013
60
Joshi, D.K. / Educationia Confab
ISSN: 2320-009X
Figure X Tankha, Sikkim
11. Santhias, the floor designs of Gujrat use simple and elegant motifs common in rural
homes. Santhias, essentially serves the purpose of interior home decorations during Diwali
and Holi celebrations. Many of these designs are asymmetrically in form and have an unique
beauty of their own. The design is developed around a circle using a triangular and floral
patterns in a stylized manner.
Vol. 2, No. 2, February 2013
61
Joshi, D.K. / Educationia Confab
ISSN: 2320-009X
Figure XI Santhias, Gujrat
12. One of the forms of floor desins in Manipur is the Pakhamba. This entwined snake design
is apparently used in worship of the serpent god. Some Pakhamba designs also have tantric
significance. This intricate design is based on two parallel continuous lines which take the
shape of a coiled serpent.
Figure XII Pakhamba, Manipur
13. Muggulu floor design of Andhra Pradesh are almost identical to the Kolams of
Tamilnadu, both in design and technique. The skill lies in the imaginative use of the dots
which are laid out at regular intervals in descending order.
Vol. 2, No. 2, February 2013
62
Joshi, D.K. / Educationia Confab
ISSN: 2320-009X
Figure XIII Muggulu, Andhra Pradesh
Conclusion
The chowkpurna of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh and the aipan designs of Himachal adopts
squares, circles and triangles as the basic motif. The word chowk (square), is derived from the
word chowki (seat) of Lakshmi (Goddess of wealth and prosperity). The auspicious designs
are also consist of two interlaced triangles, signifying Saraswati, the Goddess of learning.
This may be encircled by lotus petals and Lakshmi’s footprints. Intricate chowks designed by
Kumaon women are often drawn on occasions like the birth of a child, and marriages and
festivals like Bhai Duj and Rakshabandhan.
The chowki for Saraswati is more elaborate with concentric circles to signify growth
and expansion, interlaced triangles and eight petalled lotus flowers or eight pointed stars.
Swastik in the four corners and arches around the triangles are added for a decorative effect.
The pitha is a seat of Shiva and consists of concentric squares or circles, the largest
square being the altar of the god. There are also the likhnoo and aipan floor designs of
Himachal Pradesh and pictographic motifs symbolizing joy and pride like the Sun, flower,
trees, human figures, peacocks, palanquins, etc. all a spontaneous result of man’s close
association with his immediate surroundings.
The hilly tract of Himachal Pradesh is a treasury of pictorial art. In the villages and
small towns, pictographs in the form of floor and wall drawings have survived. The people of
this hill area make remarkable compositions like khobars for wedding and other auspicious
occasions, ritual bangadwari motifs in the shape of portraits of gods and goddesses; kandeos
(made by nains of the barber community) for marriage ceremonies to bless the bridal pair;
chowks to propitiate navagrahas (made by purohits) profusely designed hangains made on
kucha houses plastered with cowdung and dhera designs resembling the chowks. Rice paste,
Vol. 2, No. 2, February 2013
63
Joshi, D.K. / Educationia Confab
ISSN: 2320-009X
wheat flour, soil and vegetable dyes are used for colours. Finger tips and the palm are brought
into play to develop the patterns. The outlines are carefully drawn with thin twigs or sticks
wound with a rag or cotton wool. It is not possible to reproduce all the designs from all the
states of India.
Human beings pass through four different stages such as Infancy, Childhood,
Adolescence and Adulthood. Death is the ultimate stage for all living beings except some
unicellular organisms. Starting from infancy human child witnesses the art forms around the
houses and during childhood inquires about the different art forms. It helps to learn and draw
lines, squares, triangles, quadrilaterals and circles, etc. copying and following the art forms
drawn on different occasions outside the entrance of the gates. Adolescent girls could able to
adopt easily the different art forms that learnt traditionally. And in later stages analysis and
synthesis of these works draw them to spirituality and creating peaceful environment in and
outside the place of residence.
References
[1] Bal, Mieke; 2006, “Telling, Showing, Showing Off, in A Mieke Bal Reader, Chicago
& London: University of Chicago Press, pp. 169-208.
[2] Bhabha, Homi K.; 1990, “DissemiNation”, in Nation and Narration, London:
Routledge, pp. 291-322.
[3] Brighenti, Andrea. 2007. “Visibility: A Category for the Social Sciences.” Current
Sociology 55:323-342.
[4] Bochner, Mel. 2009. “Why Would Anyone Want to Draw on the Wall?.” October
130:135-140.
[5] Carolyn Brown Heinz, 2006. ‘Documenting the Image in Mithila Art’, Visual
Anthropology Review, 22 : 2, 5-33.
[6] Chauhan, R.R.S.; 1997, A Guide to the National Museum, New Delhi: National
Museum Publ.
[7] David Szanton, ‘Folk Art No Longer: The Transformations of Mithila Painting’,
Biblio, New Delhi, March - April 2004.
[8] Devi, Mahasweta; 1993, “Douloti the Bountiful”, tr. Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, in
Imaginary Maps, Calcutta: Thema, pp. 19-94.
[9] Gary Tartakov, ‘Art and Identity : Rise of a Buddhist Imagery’, Art Journal, 49:
4,Winter 1990 , 409- 416.
[10]
J. C. Mathur, ‘The Domestic Arts of Mithila’, Marg, 20:1, 1966, 43-55.
[11]
Lakshminath Jha, 1962.Mithila Ki Sanskritika Loka Chitrakala’, (Hindi),
Patna,
[12]
Nandy, Ashis; 1988, The Intimate Enemy: Loss and Recovery of Self Under
Colonialism, Delhi: Oxford University Press
[13]
Neel Rekha, ‘Harijan Paintings of Mithila’, Marg, 54 : 3, 2003, 64-77.
[14]
W.G. Archer, ‘Maithil Painting’, Marg, 3:3, 1949, 24-33.
[15]
www.indianartcircle.com
Vol. 2, No. 2, February 2013
64