Gond painting; the art of visual storytelling through lines, dots and colours!

Some travels linger on our mind long after coming back home. I have just returned from a heritage tour to Madhya Pradesh and am still soaked in overwhelming experience of studying some of the finest architectural expression of Buddhist and Hindu temple art and philosophy, ancient cave paintings and my rendezvous with weavers and tribal artists during the visit to their homes has left me spellbound! 

India, with its diverse customs and traditions from different states is one melting pot that assimilates rich cultural practices. As one goes into interior parts of the country, interesting narratives unfold layer by layer and one can't help but deeply bow to the immense treasure of folk/tribal art forms that are carried forward for centuries through rituals and oral traditions without any documentation. These ancient customs, traditions and art practices are meant to celebrate life in all its hues and are seamless part of everyday life of the artisans. 

Traditional Indian folk/tribal arts are the testimony of rich Indian heritage of centuries. Unfortunately, they are yet to get their due. These art forms rarely get toasted at high profile art events that are reserved for crème de la crème or get the attention, respect and remuneration like contemporary art. There is lot to learn from tribal people. While we often use terms like "sustainable living", "environment conscious" or "mindful living" as fashion statements, the indigenous people have been walking the talk since centuries and it is high time we take some lessons from them not only about life but art and culture too. There is beauty in their rawness, spontaneity, rough lines and  vibrant colors and forms that are born out of continuous dialogue with Nature. But to understand that, one has to be in touch with Nature and have sense of reverence the tribal people practice in their everyday life.  

This article is about tribal art form of painting from Madhya Pradesh, known as Gond. I was fortunate to meet some celebrated, traditional Gond artists at their homes and get a glimpse of their work, life and fascinating stories from their indigenous culture.

   

The Gond painting: Magic of lines, dots and colours!  

Gonds are one of the major tribal communities in India predominantly from Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgadh, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and are immensely gifted people carrying on legacy of extraordinary art and crafts. The Gond tribe is closely connected with Nature and their art is as pristine as the lush green land they hail from. 

The history of Gond tribe tells how over period of time, with Mughals conquering their lands and later with Britishers plundering their source of income, support for the tribe’s oral traditions started dwindling. Forced to live life of penury, the Gonds were compelled to take labour work but the stories that were passed down through generations remained in their hearts and found voice in visual medium through auspicious designs on their huts, entrances, walls and floors. Like most indigenous tribes, Gonds are blessed with great sense of aesthetics and strongly believe that perceiving/viewing a good image brings in great luck.

The Gond paintings were originally made with help of natural colours obtained from coloured soil, minerals, charcoal, cow dung, plants and flowers. With the change in surface on which painting is done and natural colours becoming bit difficult to procure, the Gond tribe has changed the medium to acrylic colours, paper and canvas. However, their themes still remain the same; folklore, daily life, creation myths, festivals, celebrations, major events of life, harvesting, legends and Gods, Goddesses and demons. The narrative is beautifully rendered using dots, lines, dashes, curves and spectacular colours with perfect harmony and balance. It is amazing how the style changes with each artist displaying inherent signature genre with her/his own vocabulary. Once the subject is decided, the outline is drawn and then filled with dots, strokes and vivid colours adding interesting perspective to the imagery.

Presenting here some of the artists I had honour to meet during my recent heritage tour to Madhya Pradesh. 

Award winning Gond artist, Durgabai Vyam. at her residence in Bhopal  

Durgbai Vyam, sister of legendry Gond artist Jangarhsing Shyam has a distinct “mahura” style of her own, which is inspired by jewelry. Her paintings are about simple, rural daily life while her husband likes to draw “dhigna” which is traditionally geometrical in nature and drawn on all four sides of the painting. Their immensely gifted daughter is a force to reckon with in contemporary art world. A graduate from NIFT Banglore, Roshni has a very refreshing perspective on importance of indigenous visual traditions and has unique colour palette that can cater to contemporary as well as traditional art lovers.    

Gond painting by late Gond artist,  Jangarhsingh Shyam's daughter Japani 

Like her celebrated late father, the legendry Gond artist Jangarhsing Shyam, Japani works with bold colours that delve in themes like trees; significance of Nature, creation myths, flora and fauna, Bara Dev, animals and birds and abstract concepts like dreams. Her imagery and rendition of the concepts is simply mind blowing!

Family members of  legendary artist Jangarhsingh Shyam

Mayank Shyam, son of pioneering artist Jangarhsingh Shyam has created his own beautiful style of Gond painting. His forms are comparatively very different (androgynous) and large, his strokes bold yet fluid, colours tweaked and one can almost see the context evolved with his visual grammar that is result of exposure to the contemporary art world and a shift in socio-economic dynamics. 

The best thing of meeting all members of Jangarhsingh Shyam’s family together was understanding how each artist is uniquely different when it comes to  interpretation, ideation and rendition despite using the same traditional techniques of the art form! 

A playful work, depicting what happens to people after consumption of liquor, by Sukhnandi Shyam 

Sukhnandi Vyam’s Gond paintings have fascinating fluidity. His themes are playful, his colours and strokes have lyrical quality to them. Sukhnandi also sculpts and works extensively with multiple mediums like clay, canvas, metal and wood. His wooden sculptures won him great recognition with Madhya Pradesh State Government award in 2002.

Venkatraman Singh Shyam with his wife and son 

Venkat Raman singh Shyam’s work is vibrant and mystical. There are interesting stylistic influences and one can see how he is finding his space in world of modern Indian art. Awarded the Rajya Hasta Shilpa Puraskar by the government of Madhya Pradesh in 2002, his paintings are about legendary fables associated with Gods and demons, beasts and reptiles, recurrent themes from everyday social life. Venkat Singh Shyam’s colours are bold, imagery fascinating and language both traditional and contemporary. He bemoans lack of respect for environment and his concern is evidently visible in his themes and talks.

Gond work by Venkatraman Singh Shyam 

Depiction of the tales from the folklore being explained by Sukhnandi Shyam 

A scene from  village, work by Sukhnandi Shyam 

Gond painting by Nankusia Shyam, wife of Jangarhsing Shyam 

Work by Sukhnandi Shyam 

Painting by Gond artist Mayank  Shyam 

Gond painting by Nankusia Shyam, wife of Jangarhsing Shyam

Gond paintings by artist Sukhnandi Shyam 

 Gond painting by Nankusia Shyam, wife of Jangarhsing Shyam

Gond painting in ink by Nankusia Shyam, wife of Jangarhsing Shyam 

Gond work by Mayank Shyam

Gond painting in ink by Nankusia Shyam, wife of Jangarhsing Shyam

Gond painting by Nankusia Shyam, wife of Jangarhsing Shyam

Gond artist Mayank Shyam showing work at his Bhopal residence 

With Gond artist Sukhanandi Shyam 

Gond work by Mayank  Shyam 

Gond paintings by artist Mayank  Shyam 

The dying art of Ganjifa cards painting !

Every time I visit Bhau Daji lad Museum or Prince of Wales museum in Bombay, I am invariably drawn to the section where intricately painted Ganjifa cards are displayed! 

Card games have been popular all over the world since ancient times. Each country had its own cards, designed and styled that reflected its local art and culture.  In India, the artistic creations of Ganjifa were supported by erstwhile princely states that patronized the art and the artists. The etymology and origins of word "ganjifa" remain obscure. Some scholars believe it derives its name from the Persian word "Ganjifeh" which means playing cards. In India, these cards were known as "Kreeda Patra" (“kreeda” meaning game or sport and “patra” meaning leaf or page in Sanskrit). 

Traditionally, Gangifas are handmade, circular playing cards with miniature style of paintings on various materials like ivory enamelled in gold and silver, sandalwood, lac wafers, tortoise shell, mother of pearls, textile fabric, palm leaves and waste paper. Although there were some Ganjifa cards that were found in rectangle shape too. The cards are painted by natural dyes derived from rich minerals and vegetable dyes with wide range and saturations. The artists have to mix and grind these natural colours to get suitable outcome for his work and use squirrel hair brush for achieving finer lines and intricate techniques of the art form. The process of Ganjifa card making is very lengthy and needs immense patience and specialized skills. Each card is an intricate visual portrayal of a story narrated in specific colours and symbols from the place of its origin.  

The ancient game of Ganjifa is believed to be as old as human existence. The origin of cards is traced to Persia, China and Arabian countries. In India, the game of Ganjifa was introduced through Moghul Emperors/Sufi saints during Mughal period in sixteenth century. With the advent of handmade paper, the indoor game of Ganjifa that involved playing for stakes converted into a great recreational escape for the Mughal Badshas, nobles and aristocrats alike. 

As Ganjifa evolved with time becoming a brilliant exercise for brain, interesting entertainment tool and an awe-inspiring art and artefact, it gradually spread across different regions and reached common people on the street. After the game was established everywhere in its original form known as Mughal Ganjifa, many variations started emerging.

The first variation started with Hindu form of Ganjifa cards; ten suits of twelve cards each, known as Dashavatara Ganjifa. Soon, each region of the country innovated and developed its own style of Ganjifa keeping in mind specific cultural and stylistic art/craft practices of the place, adding immense cultural and social value and interesting perspectives to the game of Ganjifa cards. Some popular Ganjifa card styles prevalent till about a few decades back were known as Sawantwadi Ganjifa from Maharashtra, Navadurga Ganjifa from Orrisa, Rajasthan and Gujrat Ganjifa, Kashmir Ganjifa, Nepal Ganjifa and the Mysooru Ganjifa that enjoyed great patronage from the Wodeyars from Mysore Royal family during their reign. 

The colour and iconography changed with each province developing its own unique version of the game. The Moghul Ganjifa cards usually portrayed animals, birds, wrestlers, acrobats, swordsmen, soldiers, hunters, musicians. As it spread to other regions, the colour and iconography changed to devotional themes. The main aim of Ganjifa shifted from mere recreation to teach and tell the stories from the ancient scriptures and holy books that were thus far following only oral traditions. The expression also changed depending on variety of themes creating great range in novelty. Different styles were created for telling stories/meaning of shlokas from the Hindu Puranas, Ramayana, the chapters from Mahabharata and many more scriptures.

With changing times, like many old traditional art forms, the Ganjifa is dying out and is on the brink; both as old game and folk art/craft form. There are some traditional, national awardees and their artisan families from Mysore, Bishnupur and Orissa trying to revive this art. It is gratifying to see them making efforts but for the technology obsessed times like today very few have time, interest or inclination to explore this pure art. Hardly anybody knows how to play complex game of Ganjifa and since it takes time to learn the craft there aren't very many takers for this game that entails exorbitant cost. The popular, easy to play 52- cards deck from western countries has ensured Ganjifa is pushed to history forever! 

There are many Indian art forms that are on the verge of extinction as they are no more commercially viable due to complete lack of patronage. What we don't realize is that with each dying art form, we lose significantly important part of our cultural identity, a big piece of our heritage that defines who we are as country/people and our journey so far. We need to think deeply and ask ourselves can we afford this loss?

Reference:

Pageant of Indian art, Festival of India in Great Britain by Dr. 

Saryu Doshi, Marg Publications

http://ignac.nic.in/n1002701htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/gajifa

http://www.gounesco.com 

My toughest lesson from 2019 !

As I write this long due post, the world outside is gearing up for the New Year eve party, super excited and getting ready to look best and pose for Instagram friendly perfect pictures. There is cheer in the air and beautiful sense of hope and promise, a perfect placebo to cling on to sail through yet another brand, new year! 

2019 has been an eventful year for me. It was a mixed bag actually! The year awarded important achievements, lessons, fulfillment, success, failures, disappointments, health scare and a few regrets. And the most difficult part has been learning acceptance. 

Yes, I learned to accept things that are beyond control and move on without bitterness only after getting biggest jolt that scared the hell out of me. Life has a strange way of teaching lessons when we tend to ignore the signs it keeps throwing at us. 

It happened with me too. About two months back, while going for lectures for the study course undertaken this year, I found myself in mini pool of blood in a cab. Horrified at the extent of torture I had inflicted upon myself by ignoring health completely, the realization of my recklessness sunk in bruising ego with reminder "I am no Super woman". And this was drilled further by total ban on multitasking zillion things after a minor surgery and confinement of rest for few weeks. 

I must admit, past two years in particular have been going on with life as if I was running after some insatiable chase, moving like an addict into unseen, unheard rhythm of uncontrolled chaos. Perhaps I was trying to make up for previous three years that I lost out completely, confined to home when my mother in law was detected with Cancer and I had to be her primary caretaker. In the process, the impact of doing so started to show in every single cell of my body revolting from time to time. The fatigue finally showed up bringing along some physical health issues that needed urgent attention which translated into life coming to a standstill. The time, energy and focus had to be completely shifted to healing myself physically and emotionally.

Of course, it didn't go down well to give up things I had invested my time and energy into for so long. How does one convince someone who lives under fallacious notion that 50s are great fun? (Blame it on those articles in fancy womens' magazines going gaga over entering 50 with élan!) Oh, I was mightily chuffed to have entered 50 just few days back thinking life is all sorted and it is time to claim myself back and have that well deserved kick ass fun one reads about in magazines and web! Nobody warned me I was entering dark world of hormones acting funny, thinning of hair, aching joints, thickening waist, mood swings and unexpected tears at the most bizarre moments! 

The impact was evidently visible on this blog too. Writing articles was very much on my radar but never managed to keep them regular due to pressure on time and energy. And then there were moments of self - doubt. "I have lost touch" I kept telling myself staring blankly at the screen while words jumbled in my mind teasingly! And believe me, I have often ended up writing articles in my mind while doing some random work at the oddest place and time.

For quite some time I have been withdrawn, just observing world around and listen; listening to my body and paying attention to health. And as much as I have missed doing zillion things that I am used to do all my life, it has helped me shifting focus from deadlines and crazy schedules to myself and everything I feel passionate about and that includes writing. I do intend to be regular on this blog henceforth.

It is time I write all those stories that have been brimming in my head but somehow never found a way to this blog. Yes, I plan to do just that in the New Year 2020! Stay tuned!  

Wishing all the readers of this blog a very happy New Year 2020! May almighty give us strength to rejoice simplicity of life an peace! 

Poetry in stone; Chennakeshava temple Belur and Hoysaleshwara temple Halebidu

Temple tour Karnataka part two: Chennakeshava temple Belur and Hoysaleshwara temple Halebidu

In the field of Art history and ancient Indian architecture, the Hoysala temples of Karnataka, India; Chennakeshava temple of Belur and Hoysaleshwara temple at Halebidu are regarded among the masterpieces of South Asian Art. These temples, with their exceptionally intricate sculptural artistry, are considered the finest examples of Hoysala architecture.

The Hoysala era (1026 CE – 1343 CE) was marked by glorious achievements in art, architecture, and culture, and its contribution in the field of architecture is considered the greatest accomplishment of that age. 

As the Hoysala dynasty gained power achieving immense success and growth, they built hundreds of temples across Karnataka thus making a political statement. Being distinguished patrons of the Arts, architecture, culture, and literature, the Hoysalas established themselves not only as a force to reckon with but also inclusive rulers by supporting Shaivite and Vaishnavite sects of Hinduism and also formally recognizing Jainism; a religion based on principles of non-violence and self-control for the attainment of spiritual liberation. The sacred ensemble of these religions became important means in the development of spiritual tenets through interpretations in various art forms like; temple architecture, sculpture, poetry, music, classical dance, and Kannada literature.

The ornately decorated shrines of the Chennakeshava temple of Belur and Hoysaleshwara temple of Halebidu; proposed as UNESCO world heritage site, were built after military conquests of Vishnuvardhan (1108 CE – 1152 CE) against the neighboring Chola Empire (c. 300 BCE – 1279 CE) in 1116 CE. And that turned out to be the first evolutionary step in the history of Hoysala dynasty.  Subsequently, as the empire reached its prime, the capital was shifted from Belur to Dwarsamudra (Halebidu) and a massive temple was built with the very clear intention of surpassing the Western Chalukya empire by transcending architecture to a completely new level.

The Chennakeshava temple of Belur and Hoysaleshwara temple at Halebidu portrays intricately carved figure sculptures on soapstone/a soft chlorite-schist stone quarried nearby that was especially soft when first quarried and hardened on contact with air/rain (the stone renders fine detailing and clarity), ideally suited for iconographic portrayal. In temple architecture, the intricately carved sculptures were integral to the composition and integrity of the structure and not just for decorative purposes. The architecture of the Hoysala temples is a combination of styles from north India (the Nagara style) and south India (the Dravidian style).

The Hoysala-style temples were constructed on platforms, with a star-shaped plan. A Navaranga served as a place for people to gather and participate in religious/cultural/social programs. Visual elements such as curving bell-shaped Chajja and lathe stone pillars with circular carved rings were distinct stylistic elements of Hoysala architecture.

Chennakesava Temple, Belur: 

(Chenna means beautiful and Keshava is one of the many names of Lord Krishna)

Chenna Keshava, an ekakuta (ek-meaning one and kuta meaning shrine), temple required 103 years to build and involved over three generations for completion. in this star-shaped temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu reside several Hindu temples and minor shrines in the complex. The architecture, sculptures, friezes, and inscriptions of this temple are marvelous! Unfortunately, one can't see the temple's shikhara since it has been ruined. The garbha griha is abode to Lord Krishna. The Chennakehsva temple is built on a general pattern of Hoysala architecture; with an east–west orientation set on a jagati.

The exterior and interior walls of the temple display intricately carved stone sculptures, with religious and cultural iconography depicting gods and goddesses, wars and triumphs, dance, music, hunting games, cavalcades, the beautiful dresses, jewelry, and daily social life of the time, and narrate scenes from the life of Vishnu and his reincarnations and from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and the Bhagavatam. Some of the sculptures also include representations of Shiva. The temple remains an important pilgrimage site for Vaishnavites to date. 

Hoysaleshvara and Shantaleshvara temples, Halebidu 

"Halebidu" in Kannada means, ruined city.

Halebidu, known as Dwarsamudra in ancient times was the capital for Hoysala rule for almost three centuries. Much ambitious and grander than Belur, the city served as the capital for the Hoysala empire for nearly three centuries. However, it was attacked and ransacked repeatedly by the invading armies of the sultanates from North India who finally succeed in plundering the city in 1310. The main temple at the center, various other smaller temples, shrines, and palace buildings were all destroyed in the process. Fortunately, despite all the destruction, some temples and structures of unparalleled beauty still remain intact.

Hoysaleshvara and Shantaleshvara the dvikuta (temple with two shrines) Shaiva temples, have two garbha grihas (sanctum sanctorum) and are connected by a mandapa (porch) forming a large open hall. One shrine is dedicated to King Vishnuvardhan and the other to his Queen Shantala, hence known as Shantaleshvara. Built in 1121 CE, this temple was constructed under the patronage of wealthy local merchants and aristocrats. 

The four entrances to the twin temple have miniature vimanas flanking on either side. Two more shrines; one for Nandi and the other for Surya are also constructed on the same jagati. The exquisite friezes on temple walls articulate stories from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Bhagwata Purana. The bands of finely carved friezes and reliefs preserve some of the finest achievements of Hoysala craftsmen and are brilliant examples of Art of sculpture, symbolism, Hindu mythology, Art, spiritual aspirations, and creativity. The Hoysaleshwara temple is well-known for 240 wall sculptures that run all along the outer wall and are artistically much sophisticated than any other Hoysala style temple.

Belur and Halebidu, draw many people including devotees, scholars, and tourists in equal measure from the world over. Once a crowning glory of the Hoysala empire still tells stories of grandeur from centuries ago. Albeit there are clear signs of ravage done by time and lack of proper standard of conservation. I wish there are stricter rules for visitors who seem to have a very callous attitude towards heritage and seem blissfully unaware of the harm they cause to these priceless pieces of history.

As much as one tries, it is impossible to comprehend the sheer abundance of beauty of architectural wonder of Belur and Halebidu in words. Whether one is a tourist, devotee, scholar, raseeka (aesthete), or even an atheist, one can't leave these temples without being in complete awe and a deep sense of reverence for the sheer genius of creativity in its splendor!