In India, folk art is not just a decorative tradition or art; it is a living language. A language spoken by our mothers, sisters and many Indian women living in the innermost part of India. She lives through them and their memories. This language is based on the mud kaccha houses of Indian villages, which are beautifully engraved with stories from the Ramayana. Or through threads embroidered into clothing or painted onto handmade papers, these papers are often only made by them. And all of this tells a story that has been passed down from woman to woman in every region of India. These women are the creators of their culture and traditions. They record their daily lives, special rituals and beliefs. In short, these folk arts are their identity.
In rural India, where half of India’s population lives, formal expression was negligible, especially for women; Women’s voices are often suppressed or perhaps sometimes ignored or given less importance due to the heavy burden of responsibilities (children, housework and family). Reason for this? They are women. Folk art gives expression to this suppressed voice. A weapon or a canvas through which these women can express themselves. They sew these threads through their imagination; They tell the stories that no one has heard or tried to hear their happiness or sadness through these folk arts. Village households and these women carry a legacy in their hearts, memories and hands.
Since women in villages often cannot read or write, they convey all this through paintings, folk art or orally. And now this path has become a path to empowering these women. This folk art has now become a link between these ancient traditions and the modern world. Now these voices are being heard on a global scale, a prime example of sustainability, Indian art and culture.
These stories about daily life, traditions, rituals and social realities are passed down from mothers to their daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, etc. Since women in villages often cannot read or write, they pass on all this through paintings, folk art or orally. And now this path has become a path to empowering these women. This folk art has now become a link between these ancient traditions and the modern world. Now these voices are being heard on a global scale, a prime example of sustainability, Indian art and culture.
Warli Art: Rituals and Femininity
Warli art has its origins in the Adivasi communities in Maharashtra and parts of Gujarat. And how do I know that? Because of my roommate, she is from this very part of Gujarat and this is where I first saw Warli art…what beautiful, intricate designs. She told me that it was inextricably linked to women’s lives. Her grandmother/artists used to paint mud walls with rice paste. Warli murals depict various occasions of daily life: agriculture, festivals, weddings and nature. But one of my Warli roommate’s favorite designs or we can say the legend that still lives on is of Lagan Chowk which is drawn at weddings and made only by married women known as ‘Savasinis’. Using simple geometric shapes, these Adivasi artists transform everyday experiences into something special: a community story, a spiritual story that makes them guardians of this ritual knowledge.
Madahuni Art: From Mud Walls to Global Canvases
Madhubani artwhich is also known as Mithila art, from the state of Bihar. The peculiarity of this art is associated with the Mithila region and the stories of the Ramayana, depicted by women using bamboo brushes, branches etc. on the walls of the villages. In addition, these colors were originally homemade with turmeric etc. An important example of sustainable living that these artists taught. If you travel to the innermost parts of Bihar or the area near the border with Nepal, you can see rows of houses with this beautiful folk art hanging on their walls.
Malvika Raj, a well-known Madhubani artist
Especially at weddings. The art of Madhubani was passed down from mother to daughter and practiced by women at festivals and weddings. Or you can say it in happy times and memories. Although the origin of this art lies in mythology and religion, today’s women use this art to express themselves about topics in their lives. It has become her voice. a path to empowerment.
Kutchi Embroidery: Young Girls Embroidery Identity
Kutchi embroidery comes from the Kutch region of Gujarat; Embroidery is more than just aesthetics – it tells a story. A story that not everyone often reads. Story tells of young tribal girls. The colors of this embroidery reflect the imagination and ambitions of these little girls and women. The tribals like the Rabari and Meghwal initiate young girls to learn the art of sewing at an early age. Because girls should learn this kind of housework, even if they don’t like it. Each of the threads of this design tells a story of their life, their pain, their community, their faith and often their migration routes. Now it has become a means to financial independence for these women.
It is a technique or a way that combines traditional skills with a contemporary world craft market. With needle, thread and mirror, these women preserve their heritage and culture. Kutch, a desert area, experiences this colorfully and conveys the message of sustainable living like any other tribal community.
Folk art as empowerment
What they all have in common is that folk art becomes the power of women, the voice of these often neglected women in all three aspects: cultural, social and economic. It not only gives them the chance to preserve today’s world, but also to connect with it, to act globally, and it also gives them their own identity. As folk art gains increasing recognition in museums, exhibitions and global gatherings around the world, women artists are slowly but surely emerging from the shadows and becoming protagonists of their own stories. This is no longer a hobby or something forced upon them, but now they have teamed up with professionals who are telling their stories out loud to the world!
Indian folk art is a mix of ancient traditions, culture, identity and new trends, with women mainly taking the lead in this art. Female painters/artists are currently the backbone of the Indian folk art scene and are presenting their art in new ways, like a power play, showcasing their characters and identities. And in doing so, they change the world of art and the meaning behind the art form itself. Because their art is a reflection of themselves and their lives. Their existence is living proof that folk art is not a relic of the past, but a living canvas constantly drawn by women with brushes, paint and threads.
References –
- https://www.undp.org/india/publications/stories-women-artisans
- https://scroll.in/article/1026111/the-women-who-are-reclaiming-warli-art
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kutch_embroidery
- https://en.gaonconnection.com/our-life/livelihood/bihar-sujani-embroidery-women-empowerment-unesco-handicraft-mithila-livelihood-fashion-covid19-pandemic/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pabiben_Rabar
- Adivasi women reclaim centuries-old Warli art with GI tags and huge murals
