We started with the workshop last year with the teams divided into research, outreach, and Editorial teams, particularly assisting the seniors we learned about the curation process. This year in the workshop in the month of February, we started with the idea of looking at the inconsistencies/the breaks in the narrative in the words of our guest lecturer, Rahul Bhattacharya “Glitches”, were the layers the issue within the subject of Inquiry lies.
With the start, we bent back to the green board and started with again the basics with the grouping and the clusters to access and look at the subjectivity of our area of research, this year we were not curating for other artists but we were the artists and the curators, ourselves We were forming mind maps, structuring and formulating the display of the archival material, photographs, documents, texts to form a visual display of our structure of Dissertation.
I began with my documentation of Sohrai Kovar and bandana. With the material, I started with the divide according to the time development of Sohrai as a festival and the Jharkhand Movement Which was happening, I tried to form a connection with the Mural Art tradition.
Hazaribagh is a relatively small town in the state of Jharkhand, currently a part of the Red Corridor. It is the headquarters of North Chotanagpur division, located on a plateau and surrounded by numerous villages in hills and valleys with rich deposits of minerals within the land. Several indigenous tribal groups such as Santals, Birhors, Oraons, Mundas, Kurmis, Ganjus, Ghatwals, Teli, etc. Commonly termed Adivasi reside in the region. Hazaribagh district is rich in archaeological evidence with traces of human habitation dating back to the lower Palaeolithic period.
Numerous ancient megalithic burial grounds dating back to 1000 BC and prehistoric rock art sites like ISCO, Thethangi, Sariya, Nano, Khandar, Raham & Sidpa, Gonda, Satpahar range, Nautangua can be found in the region.
Along with the Palaeolithic habitation sites the stone tools continuing through the Upper Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic into Chalcolithic habitation sites and Iron Age remains are often encountered in neighboring areas of the habitation sites. The entire region is covered with dense ‘Sal’ (Shorea robusta) forests and still boasts the presence of many wild animals like elephants, leopards, tigers, boars, etc along with varieties of birds, flora, and fauna. Bulu Imam, historian and expert on mud murals in Jharkhand argues that ‘Among these villages and their forest tribes there is evidence of one of the last great bodies of indigenous art and cultural traditions still carrying on despite formidable threats to their continuing existence’
ISCO cave site, Hazaribagh, 2022
Mud murals are an essential part of Adivasi domestic architecture in Jharkhand. Since mud is a primary building material for the rural communities in Jharkhand, many different types of murals can be seen throughout the state depending on the region and tribal communities.
The mud dwellings require regular maintenance which includes annual repair and plastering. This act of customary maintenance is treated as an opportunity by many communities to produce elaborate geometric patterns in the form of murals to beautify their abodes. According to Gauri Bharat, seven different mural processes are found throughout Jharkhand. The nomenclature of mural practices identified as Chotanagpur visual language Sohrai & Kovar largely classified as mural tradition are either broadly descriptive of the technique it incorporates or the community which practices.
My research will focus mainly on mural styles which are painted Khovar, painted Khovar in glyptic or stencil technique and comb cut art of Kudmi community. All three of the mural styles chosen for the research belong to the region of Hazaribagh and West Singhbhum and are practiced by nearly 13 villages in the mentioned districts.
All the artists executing the murals are women, who along with performing the household chores and agricultural activities display their inherent awareness of the spiritual origins of life and their deep attachment to natural surroundings through these artistically expressive murals. The knowledge and unique style of the murals have been passed down through generations i.e., from mother to daughter and granddaughter. Even after marriages the distinctive style of the woman remains intact and sometimes very rarely incorporates the stylization used in her in-law’s house claimed by Bulu Imam. Young girls in the village houses learn the techniques by simultaneously working with the elder women each year
which serves as a training period for her till the time she has to accomplish the complete process of mural painting. Thus, by identifying the drawing style of a particular artist, her lineage can be traced. The use of clay and other natural materials obtained locally for maintenance and decoration emphasizes the fact that the village lifestyle is extremely dependent on the geography and physical environment. This continuous living tradition is a reflection of the settled indigenous way of life of the artists. The evolution of mural-making tradition specifically in Hazaribagh can be traced back to the rock art available in the nearby vicinities of the villages where the communities reside.
Repairing and repainting process after the monsoon month , Application of the first layer, Oriya , 2023
Ritual of Sohrai and Kovar
The festivals of Sohrai and Bandhana are observed throughout the fall months, following the conclusion of the monsoon season and the completion of the harvest. A blend of rice husk, cow dung, and slurry is employed to mend the fissures. Once the entire restoration process is complete, it is let dry. Coconut fiber is used to smoothen the wall, and a layer of kaolin clay is used as a foundation for painting the mural.
Before the event, the cattle are abstained from agricultural work and transportation. Instead, they are confined to their homes, provided with ample nourishment, and groomed. During the initial day, the necessary items for the festivals are gathered from every household in the villages. These items include fresh rice, Vermillion, eggs, and more. They are collected for the ceremony known as 'Tolok Mara'. In this ceremony, all the cattle from the entire village are brought together at the village center. Additionally, three eggs representing the three hill gods are placed in the center of the village. The hill deities are worshiped with offerings of rice, vermilion, and wine.
On the second day, the cattle are adorned with colors and decorations, and they receive a massage using mustard oil. Poles are erected throughout the entire village, and cows are positioned around the village, secured to the poles with ropes. The act of venerating the cattle
On the third day of the Sohrai festival, the pre-prepared rites on the wall are carried out, and artists create a mural to welcome 'Marangburu', who is believed to visit homes on the night of the celebration.
The mud murals are mostly inspired by the female artist's imagination, which serves as the major motif for these artworks. The composition topics are flexible; they serve as ornamental murals. The murals created during the festival serve the purpose of embellishing the home and enhancing its visual appeal. Additionally, they contribute to creating a smooth surface that prevents water from penetrating the walls. The murals do not contain any storylines or narratives. Instead, the artist envisions a topic based on what she observes in her environment and creates the painting based on her personal experiences. Each mural is distinct since each artist has their own distinct method of portraying things. However, because of the shared elements, we categorize them as a unified art form. The artist's direct inspiration is the basic concept behind the paintings.
Tolok Mara, Rengogoda, West Simbhum, Jharkhand, 2021
Decorated Cow, Ritual before Bandhana ritual, Talsa, East Simbhum, Jharkhand, 2021
The religious interpretation of the ritual and symbols is complex and has the high significance of nature and seasonal worship. The Indigenous community of Jharkhand originally worshiped Ancestor spirits and the tribal religion perpetuates the internal power of life, they believe they are born out of the spiritual world of Ancestors' spirits, similar to of the beliefs of Australia’s Aboriginal Dreamtime. These Ancestors include the parents, forbearers, immediate deceased relatives or kin, including the children that have died and returned to the world of Ancestors which is an accepted fact about death amongst the Indigenous community of the Chotanagpur region. Totemic ancestors like the bird, plant, and animals from which it is believed the clans are descended are considered auspicious and are used as the motif in their mural practice, mostly these animals or birds are not hunted.
here is a definite connection between the art from myths of the indigenous community like ‘Bodo Pahar’, the myth of the mother goddess ‘Chapaliyo’, and Bonga (spirits). It is believed that nature is created by the Ancestor spirits and for this reason the Ancestor spirits are revered and perpetuated in all their manifestation.
Article by Himanshu Mahato , MVA2
No comments:
Post a Comment