Source : origiin.com
History and Background
The Khovar and Sohrai paintings are a distinct Jharkhandi art form that has its roots in the cave painting tradition from a transitional period between the Mesolithic and Chalcolithic eras in Hazaribagh. The classic paintings feature themes that span both eras. The artworks are typically created as murals. In the ISCO village in Hazaribagh in 1991, environmental activist Bulu Imam found the rock art site.
The winter harvest celebration known as Sohrai is observed a day after Diwali. It is carried out every year when the paddy fields are ready after the rain. The paintings signify the beginning of agriculture and the taming of cattle. These traditional and ritualistic paintings, done only with locally sourced soils of various colors, are primarily performed by women in isolated villages in Barkagaon Block in the Hazaribag region. During the harvest and wedding seasons, tribal women typically adorn the walls of their homes using the Sohrai-Kohvar style. These paintings feature motifs of fertility and prosperity and are thought to be auspicious.
The artform received the GI Tag in 2020 and became Jharkhand’s first product to do so.
Tools for Design
Murals in Sohrai are painted with cloth swabs, chewed saal tree twigs, or broomsticks. In contrast to Sohrai, Khovar art is created by women utilizing a plastic or bamboo comb, four fingers, or both. Color scheme: A black or natural mud-coloured base is used to paint the surface.
Making Process
A clean canvas surface, typically a mud wall, is covered with a black tint that manganese-rich clay imparts. A second layer of white or cream-colored clay is applied once the base clay has dried. While this layer is still wet, the women use various design tools to scrape the layer and create the mural art. Other important colors like red, orange, and yellow are employed to finish the masterpiece following the art and its significance.
Features
At first glance, the paintings seem decorative, but upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that they are straightforward. Murals at Kohvar honor the Devi, while those in Sohrai honor Pashupati, also known as the Lord of Animals.
The Isco rock art, Hazaribagh, and the Sohrai and Kohvar paintings also share motifs, such as the portrayal of spotted wheeled animals during the harvest in the Sohrai paintings. The Indus seals and painted ceramics from Iran and Mesopotamia contain patterns similar to those found in the Sohrai paintings. Kamla baan, also known as the lotus and tree of life forest. Indian bison, tigers, wild boars, Indian rhinoceroses, and other wild animals are portrayed in the paintings. As observed between the birds and animals and their young and amongst themselves, there is a connection between the forms seen. This connection frequently has a matriarchal structure, which takes its cues from the society’s matriarchal system.
Future
It will help 360 tribals showcase this 5,700-year-old art form on national and international platforms and boost their income.
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