My Saree Stories: Part 21 (Paintings of India)

In my previous editions of my saree stories, I have written about the different embroideries from the different states of India which have been showcased on sarees. In this edition, I will share my forays into translating different painting styles from India on to sarees. There is so much to discover about paintings across India. Each has its distinctive style. Some styles are well-known and the sarees were easy to procure. Others took a lot of effort to find the right artist, and multiple requests to design the saree that way I wanted. There was a time when these artists and painters used to languish for economic reasons. Thankfully now people realize the value of our heritage and buy their art works. The artists have also expanded their repertoire and moved to creating more artifacts. Hand-painted sarees now have a huge market.

Saree#201: Pattachitra from Odisha

Pattachitra is a form of painting which is popular in Odisha and West Bengal. The painting styles are different in the two states. When this painting is done on scroll like cloth it is called Pattachitra. When it is done on walls like murals it is called Bhitti Chitra. The colours used are derived from natural elements. For example, white is derived from conch shells, black from lamp black, vermilion from cinnabar, brick red from geru or red ochre, and yellow from hartala. The artist hand paints the entire sequence directly without initially sketching. Entire families get together to fill in the small details in the painting.

On the auspicious full moon day of Kartik Purnima, the people of Odisha celebrate Boita Bandana. Odisha had a glorious maritime tradition from the 3rd century when the kingdom of Kalinga traded with countries in South-east Asia. Translated into English, boita stands for the large ships and boats of the ancient Kalinga empire. Bandana means vandana or worship. Boita Bandana is a festival where the waters are worshipped.

How did this festival start and what is the significance behind it?

The ancient Odia mariners were called sadhabas. The term sadhaba is thought to be a shortened version of two terms sadhu and byabasayi. Sadhu meaning saint, or in other words, a honest man. Byabasayi means trader or businessman. The ancient mariners were expected to be honest traders and hence called sadhaba. They made voyages to Java, Sumatra, Bali and Borneo to trade in South-east Asia and Ceylon.

In the early hours of Kartik Purnima, women and men gather near the coast, and float little boats made of banana stem or cork. These floating boitas are loaded with paan, betelnut (gua in Odia), lamps and flowers. Remember, all these are biodegradable and do not pollute the waters. This ritual is accompanied by chants of

Aa kaa maa bai
Paana gua thoi
Paana gua tora
Maasaka dharma mora

Loosely translated, it means: we are making offerings of paan (betel leaf) and betelnut to the sea. Please keep our loved ones safe and bring them back safely. The words ‘Aa kaa maa bai‘ are short for the four months of Aasadha, Kartik, Maagha and Baisakha– the four months when the voyage is on.

Scientifically this auspicious day is chosen as the North East monsoon winds start blowing favouring the journey southwards. The journey was timed such that after trading, the mariners would return in May when the south west monsoon winds would be favourable to their sails.

It is fascinating to find how traditions are disseminated. The people in Thailand and Cambodia still worship Goddess Ganga as the goddess of the waters on the full moon day in November according to the lunar calendar. Although the river Ganga does not flow there. Thailand celebrates Loi Krathong which is quite similar, and lanterns are floated in the river with food and holy items. The Hindu tradition is now transformed into a Buddhist tradition. In Cambodia besides floating lanterns they also have boat races.

My saree is a pattachitra or hand-painted saree from Odisha which depicts the beautiful festival of Boita Bandana. Zoom in to the pallu to see the intricate details painted by the artist.

Saree#202: Santhal painting from West Bengal

One lazy Sunday I woke up with a vision that I needed a hand-painted saree in Santhal style. And with the phone in my hand began to work on it.

Santhals are one of the largest tribes in India, probably the third largest. They are found in West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha. It was Rabindranath Tagore who was fascinated with their art and music. He invited Ramkinkar Baij, a Santhal artist to Sreeniketan in Shanti Niketan. Even if you see Jamini Roy’s work you can see the Santhal influence. Now with the President of India, Ms Draupadi Murmu, being from the Santhal community, the awareness about this community has grown. But this is a story from the COVID times

It took me an hour to work around that impulse. I started scouring the net and stumbled upon two phone numbers of National Award-winning painters in Santhal style and sent messages about getting sarees painted. That Sunday drew a blank. But early on Monday morning I got a phone call. A hesitant shy female voice demanded to know where I had got her phone number. I explained. And told her what I wanted. Suddenly that shy voice transformed into the most enthusiastic chatterbox I knew! Halting Hindi with a distinctive Bengali accent spoken with rapid excitement. Completely at unease with typing on Whatsapp. But when the strokes of her brush spoke, they worked like magic! That’s Sonia Chitrakar for you. She made me two customized hand painted sarees.

The Santhals love their music and they are in sync with nature. The first saree hand painted by Sonia depicts their musical instruments and fish in the most vibrant colours possible. The fish is an auspicious motif both in Bengal and Bihar. We cannot have a wedding without fish being sent as shagun. It symbolizes fertility and companionship. Notice that she has always painted them in pairs.

The second saree is based on the Ramayana. She uses such vivid colours that I had to choose a black saree to make them stand out. The border has dancers and musicians with their drums and trumpets. But the piece de resistance is of course the aanchal. Here Sonia seems to have poured her heart out. There are four incidents from the Ramayan. The first is Ram, Sita and Laxman proceeding for vanvas. The second is how they build a parnakuti or a leaf hut for Sita. The third depicts Rama going after the golden deer which is Mareech in disguise, and Sita hearing a scream in distress. She tells Laxman to go to Ram, before which he argues with her. Then he draws the Laxman Rekha and proceeds, which is the fourth panel. Did you know btw that the story of Laxman Rekha is not part of either the Valmiki Ramayan or Tulsidas’ Ramcharitmanas? It probably was introduced in one of the Oriya versions of the Ramayan.

A few months ago, a conference on tribal medicine was being organized at AIIMS Nagpur, and a friend asked for some contacts who could set up tribal art stalls. I gave her Sonia’s number. And she was in Nagpur. I couldn’t meet her, but she did call me on phone and send me a video of her singing a lovely folk song. The ballad is about a conversation between Radha and Krishna, and each panel on her painting depicts one verse of the song.

I promised to give her number to everyone who appreciated her art. So if you are interested, you can contact her for sarees on +917585802223. She stays in a place called Pingala in Medinipur. onsidering that such tribal artists languish in remote villages of our country, every effort to support them must be encouraged.

Saree#203: Madhubani painting from Bihar

The last time I was in Patna, I asked the driver to slow down as he steered his car out of the airport. A series of Madhubani style paintings on social themes lined the walls and I desperately wanted to click them. “Aap kya kya photo kheechiyega!” he laughed. The whole city of Patna is adorned with Madhubani paintings, he said. Which is true. But even as he drove, I could see three distinct styles of paintings.

Madhubani paintings are classified into three types. The first is Kachni which is monochromatic line art. The second is Bharni where solid colours are painted into the design. And the third is Godhna where motifs are placed either in concentric circles or parallel panels.

This hand painted saree caught my eye and I couldn’t let go. This is Madhubani art in bharni style with a theme of the Chhat pooja. Chhat is Bihar’s most pious festival where the Sun God is worshipped during sunrise and sunset for three days. To learn more details about Chhat, read this post of mine which will make you appreciate the detailed motifs painted on this saree.

My saree is in the colours of Chhat: yellow and red. The colours of the sun, the source of all life. This is a festival which does not discriminate- just like the sun offers its warmth to all, without reserve. Besides the face of the Sun God, you will find women offering arghya to the sun, the familiar sugarcane and winnows (soop). And lots more. Zoom in and look carefully.

Saree#204: Sohrai painting from Jharkhand

This saree is close to my heart as this craft comes from my nanihaal in Hazaribagh. This saree features the state art of Jharkhand, Sohrai painting.

Traditionally Sohrai paintings were made by tribal folk belonging to the Santhal, Munda, Oraon, Prajapati and Khurmi communities. These are wall paintings which were discovered from the paleolithic times as rock art by an environmental activist called Bulu Imam in 1991.

These tribal communities celebrate a five-day winter harvest festival called Sohrai just after Diwali. Incidentally that is the day when we celebrate Govardhan Pooja. They worship Pashupatinath, which is Lord Shiva when worshipped as the Lord of all animals. And so it is quite logical that these bold strokes predominantly feature animal motifs. Elephants, lizards, birds, and fish are common motifs. In my saree you can spot orange bumblebees buzzing around black bee hives among colourful flowers. If you look closely you find a black snake, a preening peacock and a few reptiles too.

The word Sohrai comes from the word ‘soro’ which means ‘to lash or drive with a stick’, perhaps referring to how these tribals control their livestock with a stick. These paintings were originally made on white mud walls during the festivities of the Sohrai winter harvest festival. These paintings were either made with finger tips or dantwan made of Sal sticks. The dyes used were derived from laal mitti (iron oxide), kaali mitti, (manganese oxide), peeli mitti or doodhi mitti.

It feels good to own a piece of my own heritage and learn about something new.

Saree#205: Gond painting from Madhya Pradesh

The word Gond comes from the word ‘Kond’ which means ‘green mountain’. The Gonds are believed to be India’s largest tribal community. They can be found across Madhya Pradesh, northern Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, eastern Maharashtra and western Odisha. They are deeply connected with nature and draw inspiration from trees, animals and birds. It is commonly believed that a good drawing can bring good luck, so these paintings adorned the walls, windows and floors of their houses. They use local material like charcoal, coloured soil, leaves, plant sap, cow dung and limestone powder.

In the early 80s, while scouring for talent for Bharat Bhavan in Bhopal, the artist J Swaminathan reached Pattangarh village. He found a brilliant wall painting done by Jangarh Singh Shyam, who is considered the person responsible for popularizing this art form. His art forms can be seen in Bharat Bhavan as can work of other artists like Bhajju Shyam, Mangru Uikey and Durga bai. Jangarh Singh Shyam painted the main dome of Bharat Bhavan where he depicted the Gond deity Baradeo. His work can also be seen in the Vidhan Sabha of Madhya Pradesh. He received international acclaim. And more than hundred painters of the Pardhan Gond community found a means of earning their livelihood.

Gond art begins with first sketching the outlines. This is directly done free hand without any pencil or rough drawing. The manner in which these shapes are filled makes this art recognizable. Repetitive lines, dots, diagonals, curves and crosses are used to provide texture to the creations. Eyes are always drawn in the end. As it is believed that giving sight breathes life into the work.

Gond art appears to be part-poetry, part-story with the ability to convey movement through tiny strokes of dots and dashes. The art works are usually based on tribal folklore. They depict the relationship of man with other creatures. Birds and animals make a frequent appearance in the paintings.

My saree is a Koppal cotton which has been hand-painted in Gond style. I love the fertile imagination and the sense of humour of the Gond artists. No where else have I seen peacocks depicted like this. With outstretched necks and curious eyes. Most artists would have focused on the resplendent feathers of a peacock. Here you can identify them despite the feathers not being drawn. Whether it is deer or birds, they all seem to have feelings. Their eyes seem to convey emotions or curiosity.

While Gond art is easily recognizable for its distinctiveness, each artist has their own signature style which can be seen in the details. Thrilled to finally own a piece of this pictorial iconography.

Saree#206: Tanjore painting from Tamilnadu

This is a Tanjore painting of Krishna that I had commissioned the artist Ishita Parikh to make for me in September 2020. We both spent a lot of time discussing what I wanted. She lives in Nathdwara and has expertise in doing Pichwai and Kalamkari paintings. But she had never done a Tanjore painting on a saree before.

Tanjore paintings originate from Thanjavur in Tamilnadu. They flourished under the patronage of the Marathas when they ruled this kingdom. I was there in Thanjavur a few months ago and my visit to the Periya kovil or Brihadeeshwara temple was on top of my mind.

Tanjore paintings are usually known for their vivid colours and bold outlines. But what makes them distinct are the gold foil patterns and the precious-coloured stones which are used to embellish them. Could this effect be replicated on a saree? Ishita seemed very confident about doing this. After I decided that I wanted this Krishna painting, we decided to choose the background colour. I narrowed down to three colours and then chose royal blue because I thought all the colours would stand out against it. I insisted on this tree with the peacocks which she has done beautifully. Ishita sent me a pencil drawing and something seemed out of place.

The painting needed a border. Searched Google and chose a border, but Ishita made it better by adding peacock feathers.

But things weren’t smooth for both of us. A few weeks after we finalized the saree her father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. It was a traumatic time for her. And then COVID struck and he succumbed to his ailment. When she finally was in a frame of mind to paint, I waited. And finally in February 2021 the saree reached me. I loved the gold work and colourful crystal and stone work that she had added. And the contrast blouse that she had designed. But then I lost my brother a few days later along with two other members of my family. Sareeing was far way from my mind. And so it has had to wait in my cupboard several months to reveal the brilliance of Ishita’s work.

Saree#207: Pichhwai painting from Rajasthan

Pichwai paintings are 17th century art forms which originated in the Srinathji mandirs. The word Pichwai comes from Sanskrit where pich means back and wai means hanging. These paintings typically form the backdrop of the Srinathji idols. These can still be seen in temples of Vrindavan, Mathura and Nathdwara. Since they were placed behind the idol, the original pichwai did not have any image of Krishna. They had scenes of his life as a cowherd in Vrindavan or Mathura.

The original paintings were made of natural dyes such as red from the hingli stone, black from kaajal and blue from plant extracts. The purpose of these paintings was to narrate the stories of Lord Krishna’s life to the masses. So common themes include: Krishna with his cows, with the gopis, the story of lifting Govardhan or killing Kaliya.

However now Pichwais have taken contemporary forms. They form backdrops in living rooms and very expensive artists do these forms. Here Krishna makes an appearance in the Pichwai unlike in the temples.

This saree has been custom-made on my instructions. This is a kota saree which has been hand painted in a Pichwai style. Got this done via someone I know from some artists in Nathdwara in Rajasthan. I didn’t want the usual portrait of Krishna with the cows. So, I gave the artist a brief of how I wanted it. With lotuses and the leaves. And a plain saree with just borders. He added fish and storks making it much better. Something was jinxed and it didn’t turn out the way I wanted the first two times. Including one where the saree turned out very short. But then Krishna comes to you only when he decides to! I’m pleased with the final effect of this Pichwai inspired pallu. Tell me what you think.

Saree#208: Batik painting from West Bengal

When I was in school, we had a very talented art teacher who encouraged students to hold an art exhibition during the Diwali mela held in our little town. All the students were urged to make innovative greeting cards using dried flowers or coloured paper. We made beautiful artifacts using papier mache. And one of the skills I tried my hand at was batik painting.

I remember the painting I sketched to be made in three colours- red, white and yellow. It was Sita giving her agni pareeksha, the yellow flames engulfing her. It was a labour of love. Carefully painting selected areas with hot wax, then dipping the cloth in a dye. Waiting for it to dry, cracking the wax slightly, before repeating the process again. And then ironing it under sheets of newspaper to melt the wax and remove it. I remember my excitement when I realized that my painting had picked up the maroon colour in a more vibrant shade than the other students. We were all experimenting, and though my sketch wasn’t the best, it was the brightest. I was really eager to see who would buy my painting at the mela. It came as a surprise to see my Dad buy it. I didn’t know whether to be disappointed, as I never knew if he bought it out of his love for me, or because he actually liked it. Throughout my MBBS and MD that painting adorned my hostel room. I don’t know where it is now.

This ochre and orange saree is a silk-cotton Maheshwari. Enriched with some excellent resist dyeing and batik work. The splendor of the colourful elephant with the howdah on the pallu struck me as unique.

I have another saree done in Batik which features a very beautiful Radha- Krishna on the pallu. I simply love the way his arm goes around her and holds her chin. There is something very rivetting I find about Radha’s love for Krishna. She surrenders completely and believes in her love. Her faith in herself is what I can’t but admire most. Along the borders are the familiar cow motifs. Krishna, of course, is my favourite God. He is more real and seems approachable than others. Each story of his life is practical and he still stays with dharma. But I like the fact that he accepts everyone despite their flaws, and tries his best to understand and guide them. How can one not feel connected to him?

Saree#209: Srikalahasti Kalamkari painting from Andhra Pradesh

Kalamkari involves hand painting or block printing using natural dyes on cotton or silk fabric. The word Kalamkari (or Qalamkari) is derived from the Urdu words, ‘Qalam’ meaning pen and ‘Kari’ meaning craftsmanship. This art form originated in India around 3000 years ago. Some evidence such as pieces of dye painted cloth have been found in Mohenjodaro and Harappa which dates back to the 17th and 18th century.

Kalamkari art is essentially done in three distinctive styles: Machilipatnam style, Karuppur style, and Srikalahasti style. So, what is the difference between these styles?

The Machilipatnam style is also called Pedana Kalamkari, and is done in Machilipatnam in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh. It involves block printing on fabric using vegetable dyes. The name kalamkari was given by the Mughals and the Golconda Sultanate who patronized this art during their reign in the Deccan region. Inspired by the Persian style, these designs have prints of flora and fauna, especially the animals such as tigers, peacocks and deer.

Karuppur Kalamkari is also known as Chitra Padam or figurative drawing. In 1540, the first Nayak ruler of Thanjavur, Sevappa Nayak, is said to have brought a group of Kalamkari artists from Karuppur in Thanjavur in Tamilnadu to work in the palace and temples. These artists later settled down in Sickalnayakenpet in Thanjavur. Karuppur Kalamkari art is used to paint temple hangings (called vasamalai), door frame panels and tubular hangings (called thombai). Kuralams are ornamental cloths adorned with Kalamkari art that are hung from either side of a chariot. In all these cases, the themes are drawn from religious texts.

Srikalahasti is a town in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, close to Tirupati. The Srikalahasti style is also called Pen Kalamkari. The pen used here is a bamboo stick which is wound with a thread which has been dipped in dye. One of its ends is sharpened to the desired thickness. Pure cotton cloth is wound around it, and tied tightly with cotton thread in a criss-cross manner. This is to ensure that the cloth stays in the desired position. Cotton is preferred as it absorbs colour and makes it easy for the artist to draw precise sketches.

The saree which I’m wearing is done in the Srikalahasti style. Here, the kalam or pen is used to make freehand drawings and these are filled in with different colours. The themes of these drawings are usually drawn from the Hindu epics such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata, as well as the Puranas.

Srikalahasti lies on the banks of the river Swarnamukhi. Kalamkari is being practiced here for nearly 200 years now. Ancient techniques of textile dyeing have been passed from one generation to another. Bright and vibrant coloured vegetable dyes are used.

The process of kalamkari involves around 23 to 25 steps. First cotton fabric is washed and scoured in plain water to remove the starch. After drying, it is washed and soaked in a solution of cow dung, milk and myrobalan (called karakha pindi) for 1-2 hours. This is dried. Following this, the basic outline is drawn in black with a burnt stick of tamarind, which acts like a piece of charcoal. The cloth is dried, washed and treated with milk. Alum is applied, and treated in alzarine. The outlines are filled with a single colour using the kalam, and the fabric is then washed in plain water and treated in milk. If maroon colour is desired, the cloth is soaked in boiling water. Then the next colour is applied, and the process of washing is repeated with milk treatment. For example, indigo will be applied in the first cycle, followed by yellow, and finally by green. This is done again and again until all the colours are applied. If the design requires five colours, it takes around 3 weeks to complete the process, as each cycle of drying, washing and milk treatment takes 3-4 days. Finally, the fabric is washed, ironed and packed.

The beauty of Kalamkari is that the artists often attempt to reproduce the beauty and richness of temple sculptures on fabric. The elaborate designs and the bright colours catch your eye, and they are full of little details. It is art of the highest order. Since real Kalamkari tends to be expensive and not affordable to everybody, fake prints of Kalamkari are passed off as the real thing at low prices. This has left the artisans struggling for survival. However renewed interest in sarees and awareness about this art, has helped in renewing the patronage to these craft. Thanks to innovative designers, Kalamkari patterns are now seen as chic.

I have been hesitant to wear a Kalamkari saree for two reasons. One is that I find the print too busy, and given my taste for more plain looking sarees. I tend to avoid these, wary that they will make me look more rotund than I already am. The second is the peculiar stale smell of milk and ghee that emanates from these sarees. I first thought about buying Kalamkari printed sarees instead. But then succumbed to the thought of acquiring one specimen of the real thing just to complete my collection.

This saree is a pen Kalamkari done on Chennuri silk. The pallu has a vividly depicted Vishnu lying on the Shesh Nag, with Bhudevi and Laxmi Devi next to him. You can spot Brahma emerging from a lotus coming out of Vishnu’s navel. While the pallu has a series of apsaras. All of these are done with vibrant, bright colours using vegetable dyes.

Saree#210: Karuppur Kalamkari  (Sickalnayakanpet) painting from Tamilnadu

Karuppur Kalamkari is also known as Chitra Padam or figurative drawing. In 1540, the first Nayak ruler of Thanjavur, Sevappa Nayak, is said to have brought a group of Kalamkari artists from Karuppur in Thanjavur in Tamilnadu to work in the palace and temples. These artists later settled down in Sickalnayakanpet in Thanjavur. Karuppur Kalamkari art is used to paint temple hangings (called vasamalai), door frame panels and tubular hangings (called thombai). Kuralams are ornamental cloths adorned with Kalamkari art that are hung from either side of a chariot. In all these cases, the themes are drawn from religious texts. When patronage for temple art subsided, these artists took to painting sarees instead.

The saree which I’m wearing is done in the Karuppur Kalamkari style and these are more popularly known as the Sickalnayakanpet sarees. While I am not too fond of the Srikalahasti kalamkaris as I find them too busy, I fell in love with these colour blocked sarees instantly. The popular colours used are red, black and yellow and these are all derived from natural dyes. For instance, black is derived from iron rust and jaggery.

Each of these sarees has a theme which is hand drawn directly on the pallu, so every saree is unique. The technical difficulty comes with having to paint a 6 m saree in one colour quickly. Simply because if these large blocks are not painted and dried quickly there is every possibility of getting blotches or differences of shades.

This saree’s pallu has a painting of a group of women praying before a dance performance. I love the attention to detail from the artist including the colour combination of their garments. And somehow draping this smart saree kept me upbeat all morning. I guess knowing that you have worn a masterpiece makes you float 2 inches above terra firma!

Catch up with my previous saree stories, if you haven’t done so already.

My saree stories: Part 1
My saree stories: Part 2
My saree stories: Part 3
My saree stories: Part 4
My saree stories: Part 5
My saree stories: Part 6
My saree stories: Part 7
My saree stories: Part 8
My saree stories: Part 9 Navratri special
My saree stories: Part 10
My saree stories: Part 11
My saree stories: Part 12
My saree stories: Part 13 Odisha weaves
My saree stories: Part 14
My saree stories: Part 15
My saree stories: Part 16
My saree stories: Part 17 Odisha weaves
My saree stories: Part 18 (Ode to the Laal Paar)
My saree stories: Part 19 (Ikats of India)
My saree stories: Part 20 (Embroideries of India)