Folk traditions of Central India ‘Viewing a good painting begets good luck.’ This inherent belief forms the basis of a beautiful tribal art called the Gond art that represents the ancient art forms of Madhya Pradesh. The Gonds, a diverse tribal community living in the forests of central India, are among the largest tribal groups in… Read More Gond Art- The Vibrant Folk and Tribal Art of India
Patachitra or painting on scrolls refers to the traditional folk art of eastern India, found in the states of West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar and Jharkhand. Each state renders its uniqueness to the art. In this post, I will elaborate on the Patachitra traditions of West Bengal and how they shaped the Kalighat paintings. But first,… Read More Folk art of Bengal and Kalighat paintings
“Art speaks the soul of its culture.” – Abby Willowroot The folk art forms of India demonstrate the diversity and uniqueness of the different cultures in India. Bringing together the traditional crafts from different parts of the country, an exhibition called ‘Spirit of India’ at the CSMVS Museum in Mumbai showcased the works by nine of… Read More Pattachitra: This spectacular art of Odisha will mesmerize you
Diwali, the festival of lights is here again. This is the much awaited time of the year when houses, shops, temples, and malls adorn the decorated look, lit up with lanterns, candles, earthen lamps (diya) and electric bulbs. While Diwali is the celebration of “good over evil”, “light over darkness”, “knowledge over ignorance”, and “right… Read More Diwali – Festivities, Fireworks and Folklore in India and beyond
Real museums are places where time is transformed into space. ~ Orhan Pamuk I have always enjoyed trips to museums. My penchant for a visit to museums goes back to my school days when our teachers would take us for trips to museums and gardens. In most of the cities that I have visited, I have gone… Read More Have you been to the oldest museum in Mumbai yet?
By Somali K Chakrabarti ‘Anything that can go wrong will go wrong,’ says the Murphy ’s Law. Many of you would have heard of Murphy’s Law, which states that we cannot stop an in-opportunity from happening, if it is supposed to happen. True! Lately, Murphy decided to strike on my blog. Last weekend, all… Read More A Jazz Concert in Mumbai and Blogging detox
By Somali K Chakrabarti The Extra Tomato ‘Sitabai’, a vegetable seller was a regular at our house in Mumbai. Every morning at around 11 AM, she would come, carrying over her head, her basket of fresh vegetables. She went from door to door selling vegetables in all buildings in our housing society. Sitabai never budged on prices, so… Read More A Little Extra that we Indians love
By Bhudeb Chakrabarti Nagaland, well-known for its natural beauty and breath-taking pristine natural forests is also known for its warm and hospitable people. In December 1968, I was posted in Pfutsero in Kohima District of Nagaland, as Second-in-Command of a CRPF Battalion. The Battalion was deployed to aid the Government of Nagaland in maintaining Law and… Read More A Naga Sojourn
Pls see the flow… Read More Baliyatra – commemorating ancient maritime traditions
By Somali K Chakrabarti China targeting Indian wedding market … Read More Why the World is more Indian than you think
Scribble and Scrawl 