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Paper short abstract

The Bhittichitra art is a visual representation on the walls of the homes of the Santals. These paintings depict rituals, harvests from the land and mythological stories. The paintings tell stories of the nature symbolically codified as cosmic forces, fertility, wisdom, community bonding and so on.

Paper long abstract

Painting comes naturally to primitive tribes and communities as evocative representation which have been discovered in cave paintings, utensils, jewellery, and alpona made for ceremonies. The earliest form of indigenous art reflects creativity but also expresses a dialogue between the community and its surrounding. Mooring on such cultural motifs several tribes and communities have been seen to develop their own unique style of engaging with pictographic representation of nature.

The Santhals are one of the most important and largest ethnic groups of India and their population can be traced to the districts of Birbhum and Purulia in West Bengal and in the state of Jharkhand in India. Their primary source of livelihood is in the bordering forests and agricultural land. The Bhittichitra art tradition among the Santhals is a vibrant visual representation on the walls of the homes of the Santhals. These paintings depict seasonal rituals, harvests from the land and mythological stories. The paintings tell stories of the Sun, Moon, birds, trees and forest each symbolically codified as cosmic forces, fertility, wisdom, community bonding and so on.

My paper aims to explore this art form and the cultural codes that are created through these paintings that centralise the importance of nature in the lives of the Santhals. The visual syntax of the paintings brings out the layered and metaphysical meanings that occupy the lives of the people conforming their intimacy with nature.