Dying arts of India
India has always been known for its rich culture and heritage around the world. But due to modernization and technology development, the traditional arts and crafts of India are dying slowly, which is also affecting the livelihood of the artisans and their families.
One of such kind is Rogan Painting Art of Kutch, this art is dying slowly there is only one family left in the world who is still practicing this art of fabric painting.
A little History of this beautiful art-
The word Rogan comes from Persian, meaning varnish or oil, a term adopted under the Mughal Empire. The process of applying this oil-based paint to fabric began among the Muslim Khatri, a community in Kutch. Although the name, Rogan (and some of the traditional designs) suggests an origin in Iran, there are no reliable historic records to prove this.
Rogan painting was initially practiced in several locations in the Kutch region. The painted fabric was mostly purchased by women of the lower castes who wanted to decorate clothing and bed coverings for their weddings. Therefore, it was a seasonal art, with most of the work taking place during the several months when most weddings take place. During the rest of the year, the artisans would switch to other forms of work, such as agriculture.
With the rise of cheaper, machine-made textiles in the late 20th century, Rogan-painted products became relatively more expensive, and many artists turned to other occupations. Ultimately, only one family, the Khatri of Nirona, Gujarat, continued the craft.
Process- Rogan paint is produced by boiling castor oil for about two days and then adding vegetable pigments and a binding agent; the resulting paint is thick and shiny. The cloth that is painted or printed on is usually a dark color, which makes the intense colors stand out.
In Rogan printing, the pattern is applied using metal blocks with patterns carved into them. In Rogan painting, elaborate designs are produced freehand, by trailing thread-like strands of paint off of a stylus. Frequently, half of a design is painted, then the cloth is folded in half, transferring a mirror image to the other half of the fabric. The designs include floral motifs, animals, and local folk art.
Thanjavur Painting- Tanjore paintings is the most popular art form of South India, which was inaugurated from the town of Thanjavur, its a popular forms of classical South Indian painting. These are panel paintings done on wooden planks. This art has been recognized as a Geographical indication by the Government of India in 2007-08.
Specialty of the painting- Thanjavur paintings are characterized by rich and vivid colors, simple iconic composition, glittering gold foils overlaid on delicate but extensive gesso work and inlay of glass beads and pieces or very rarely precious and semi-precious gems.
Traditional art of puppetry- Some scholars suggest that puppetry has existed in India for over 3000 years. The surprising thing is that there are so many forms of puppetry that we aren’t even aware about. There's shadow puppetry from Kerala. Then there’s Kathaputli from Rajasthan and Kundhei from Orissa. But all of these won’t exist a few years from now. There are very few artists left that know the art. Some NGOs have tried to bring puppetry to urban cities, yet this art form is nearing its end.
Parsi embroidery- Parsi embroidery also know as Gara Gara embroidery, it has been a part of India’s diverse textile heritage. During the bronze age, this art form took birth in Iran and with time it drew influences from European, Chinese, Persian and Indian culture. The saris that depict Parsi embroidery are known as Parsi Gara Saris and take about 9 months to complete. But now, you’ll find very few of these in the market. The reason is the declining Parsi community and mass production of clothes that are readily available.
Toda embroidery- The Toda embroidery is also known as 'pukhoor'. The toda tribe resides in the Nilgiri Hills. This is practiced exclusively by women of the tribe. The entire tribe consists of only 1600people and they’re struggling to protect their culture and craft. The embroidery is basically done on the cloth the embroidery, which has a fine finish, appears like a woven cloth but is made with the use of red and black threads with a cotton cloth background. Both sides of the embroidered fabric are usable and the Toda people are proud of this heritage. Both men and women adorn themselves with embroidered cloaks and shawls. You’ll find this embroidery is done on everything from wallets, cell phone pouches, bedsheets, stoles, etc and each design is unique in its own way.
Dhokra handicraft- The Bastar region, a district in Chhattisgarh, is home to tribes who specialize in Dhokra handicrafts. Its wax casting technique has been in India for more than 4,000 years. One of the earliest known dhokra artifacts is the dancing girl of Mohenjo-Daro. These products are in great demand in domestic and foreign markets because of primitive simplicity, enchanting folk motifs, and forceful form. But, again, very few tribes are practicing the art and no one has been able to come up with a technology to save the 250-year-old legacy.
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