From Raghurajpur to Shekhawati: Discover villages celebrating wall art

Where tradition and creativity blend on every wall

Culture

Tourism

January 15, 2025

/ By / New Delhi

From Raghurajpur to Shekhawati: Discover villages celebrating wall art

House walls transformed into stunning canvas in Raghurajpur (Photo: Incredible India)

In recent years, the small village of Lalbazar in West Bengal, home to just 1,000 people, has gained recognition for its vibrant wall art. With the support of art enthusiast Mrinal Mandal, the village’s artists showcased their work at the Indian National Museum and Behala Art Fest. Lalbazar is one of many villages across India where walls have been transformed into stunning canvases. Here are six such places, which celebrate art in every nook and corner of the place.

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For millennia, the role of the arts, such as painting, has been a topic of debate about whether should they be preserved as timeless traditions, pursued as a career, or embraced purely as a hobby.

However, some art villages in India serve as symbolic proof that painting can be both a means of sustenance and a passionate pursuit. For instance, a little-known village in West Bengal named Lalbazar, about 180 km west of the state’s capital Kolkata, has recently gained attention for its transformation into an art village, thanks to the skillful artwork adorning its walls.

With the support of ChalChitra Academy, Mrinal Mandal, an art enthusiast and graduate of Kolkata’s Government Arts College, tapped into the talent of this small village of 1,000 people. He organised art classes to nurture their skills.

Following their training, these local artists showcased their work at the Indian National Museum in Kolkata and also at Behala Art Fest,  a forum that provides a platform to people from different art fields.. Consequently, their art now reaches its intended audience, significantly improving their chances of earning a stable livelihood through their craft.

Like Lalbazar, many villages or regions in India have channelled their passion for art into a stable means of livelihood, thereby empowering themselves. Here are six places in India that have transformed their walls into stunning painted canvases.

 Raghurajpur, Odisha

Painting at Raghurajpur (Photo: Incredible India)

Painting at Raghurajpur (Photo: Incredible India)

 

Famously recognised as Odisha’s first heritage village and around 12 km from Puri, this small village consisting of 120 homes, practically functions as an open-air art gallery!! As you step inside the village, you will find houses adorned with colourful murals. Additionally, the skilled local artists also specialise in different traditional art forms like Pattachitra painting, or palm leaf engravings, which has been passed from generation to generation!!

Their signature Pattachitra scrolls are also popular, intricate colors depict and showcase mythological stories and local folklore.

Ganjad Village, Maharashtra

Warli Painting (Photo: Incredible India)

Warli Painting (Photo: Incredible India)

Located in Palghar district, 130 km north of Mumbai, this Maharashtrian village is known for its Warli art. Typically painted on the outer walls of houses, this art form features simple geometric shapes, a white-on-brown colour scheme, and depictions of daily life and nature.

Warli art gained prominence in the village in the 10th century. In modern times, the art form, which was once largely restricted to ritual drawings on mud walls, was brought to the public’s attention by the late Jivya Soma Mashe, a renowned Warli artist who won the Padma Shri award for his work, which incorporated themes of folk tales and humour.

Hazaribagh, Jharkhand

Lending art to festivities, Sohrai painting is a popular form of folk/tribal painting art form, which is popular in villages of Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh district. Usually created during the sohrai festival in October or November, which celebrates the harvest and fertility of livestock, community, and family, these paintings are usually created by women on mud walls of their homes during marriages and ceremonies.

Featuring characteristics such as geometric shapes, animals, flowers, plants, and other natural forms, these paintings are created by women from communities like Kurmi, Santal, Munda, Oraon and Agaria.

These paintings are made using natural earth colours like black, red, yellow, and white. Additionally, they often depict themes of motherhood and child, reflecting matriarchal traditions.

Naya, West Bengal

Situated in the Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal, in the Pingla block, approximately 130 km from the state capital, Kolkata, Naya village is home to patachitrakars, artists who specialise in Indian scroll paintings. These paintings typically depict stories from Hindu mythology.

Commonly called Patuas, the artists of Naya village are not just painters but also storytellers and singers. They create intricate scrolls based on mythological tales, folktales, and contemporary themes, bringing them to life through melodious performances of pater gaan, a traditional singing form.

Each year, Naya village hosts the Pot Maya festival, during which the streets come alive with scrolls and live performances. Visitors have the opportunity to meet the artists and experience their craft firsthand.

Naya has also become a popular tourist destination, often referred to as a living museum. Every wall in the village is painted in vivid colours, and courtyards are filled with supplies like paintbrushes and pots of paint. The Patuas are deeply passionate about their art, never tiring of their creative endeavours.

This dedication has brought about a significant transformation in the village. The artists, who once lived in mud huts, now reside in concrete homes. They earn between INR 20,000 and INR 40,000 per month, sustaining themselves and their families. Reported Village Square in 2022.

Patangarh, Madhya Pradesh

Gond Painting (Photo: MP Tourism)

Gond Painting (Photo: MP Tourism)

Entering Madhya Pradesh, often referred to as the heart of India, one discovers the small village of Patangarh, nestled in the Dindori district.

Perched atop a hill, Patangarh serves as a vibrant hub for Gond art and is home to around 250 talented artists.

With a legacy spanning 1,400 years, Gond artists create stunning works using bright colours such as red, yellow, blue, and white, typically sourced from natural materials like charcoal, plant sap, leaves, and cow dung.

In modern times, Gond artists have embraced synthetic materials like acrylic paints and oil paints, which are more readily available in the market.

Using intricate patterns such as dots, dashes, curved lines, and fish scales, Patangarh artists strive to depict a sense of movement in their art, filling their images with dynamic patterns and vibrant energy.

This painting often portraying nature, folklore, and mythological stories, has evolved from two traditional art forms, namely digna and bhittichitra. Digna features geometric patterns created on the walls and floors of houses, while bhittichitra is exclusively painted on walls.

The modern popularity of Gond paintings began in the 1980s, thanks to the renowned artist Jangarh Singh Shyam. His exceptional talent caught the attention of J Swaminathan, then the Director of Bhopal’s Bharat Bhavan Museum. Shyam became the first Gond artist to use canvas and paper for his work, showcasing his art in exhibitions worldwide, including in cities like Tokyo and Paris. This recognition brought global acclaim to Gond paintings and established them as a sustainable livelihood for many artists.

In 2023, Madhya Pradesh’s Gond paintings were awarded a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, further ensuring their recognition and promoting their legacy globally.

Shekhawati, Rajasthan

Shekhawati Painting (Photo: Canva)

Shekhawati Painting (Photo: Canva)

In the semi-arid region of northern Rajasthan lies Shekhawati, renowned for its distinctive and grand mural paintings. Characterised by detailed and intricate pictures painted piecemeal on dry plaster surfaces, these murals adorned the walls of houses and havelis.

Dating back to the 17th century, these paintings showcased a diverse range of subjects, including religious and mythological scenes, depictions of daily life and the environment, and even erotica.

The havelis of Shekhawati exemplified a fusion of Rajput and Mughal architectural styles. A prominent feature of these structures was the outward-facing balcony, known as a jharokha, adorned with intricate carvings that were both decorative and functional, providing shade from the harsh sun.

This art form is celebrated for its vibrant colours, bold strokes, and detailed depictions of mythology, royal life, and the everyday lives of common people.

These villages and regions are just a few powerful examples of how art can be both a passionate pursuit and a stable livelihood. Spanning from east to west and north to south, they embody the rich diversity that India offers to the world, showcasing the deep cultural heritage and creative spirit that define the country.

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