Every region in India has its own unique art style which is an integral part of the wedding festivities to usher in fertility, prosperity, and auspiciousness. Their stories, rooted in folklore, make for a riveting read.
Weddings in India are a grand affair. From the pomp of the decor and ambience, to the garments and the invitations, there is a lot of planning that goes into it. With this, the traditional art of India also makes its way into these weddings. Depending on individual choice and their regional culture, Indian traditional art has also made its presence felt in weddings.
India has a repository of various traditional art forms that are used in weddings in various forms. Although this is not an all-inclusive list, it will definitely give you a fair introduction of some traditional arts that have a central place in traditional weddings.
Madhubani Art
Originating from the Mithila region of Bihar, this folk art is known for its detailed patterns and designs. The vibrant colours and dark outlines make for a unique traditional Indian art.
A ceremonial Kohbar Madhubani painting is specially made in the nuptial chamber for the newly wedded couple. The Kohbar ghar painting is resplendent with the symbols of fertility, prosperity, and auspiciousness. Each element in the painting has specific meaning, each translating to a blissful life for the new couple, for example, Shiv-Parvati, lotus, tortoise, bamboo, bride and groom. Kohbar Madhubani art is also sometimes called Tantra Raj, Yog Yogini, and Shiv Shakti, which translates to the blessings of the Hindu god Lord Shiva.
The nuptial chamber is more commonly known as Kohbar ghar (Kohbar house). This is where the important wedding rituals take place and the couple must reside in this chamber for at least four days post their wedding. Themes of the celebration of love between Lord Krishna and Radha (the beloved of Lord Krishna) are drawn in this chamber, symbolising the divine love in the married lives of the newly married couple as well. Other motifs such as lotus (the symbol of purity and new beginnings), sun (symbolising power and energy), and fish (a symbol of fertility), are also drawn on walls of the Kohbar ghar.
Warli Art
Warli art is widely known for its simplistic yet captivating art. It is primarily done by the people of the Warli tribe residing in parts of Maharashtra and Gujarat. It is mostly done on the walls of people’s homes, while some rituals during the wedding are also done on the floor. This art is believed to be a potent form of invoking gods for the Warli tribe. It uses stylised stick figures with geometrical shapes such as a circle and triangle making a head and torso, with two lines for legs to depict human figures. Other geometrical designs are also incorporated in this artform. This art largely encapsulates the spirit of community living and includes various scenes of daily life, with animals and humans coexisting with one another. Weddings of the Warli tribe cannot commence before painting the Mother Goddess at the threshold of the bride’s home. The symbol of fertility is of paramount importance.
The marriage season for the Warli tribe is usually during the harvest season. The painting of the Warli goddess, Palaghat, is an essential feature in every Warli wedding tradition. It is believed that she will protect the newly wedded couple from the evil spirits and bless them with fertility. She is depicted along with symbols of fertility, and divine energy such as the Sun and the Moon. The painting is made by Suvansinis, or the married women, a day before the wedding.
Dev chowk is also part of the wedding traditions. It depicts Pachsera Deva, or the five headed deity. He is depicted riding a horse.
Pithora paintings
Originating from the Bhil and Ratwa tribes of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, these paintings are made on the walls of the houses to invoke blessings of the Pithora Dev. The deity is believed to protect the family, and bless it with prosperity and harmony. The deity is invited by preparing a painting on the walls of the houses. These are generally made under the supervision of the badhwa, or the priest, along with singing and chanting.
The wedding Pithoras often include animals such as horses, elephants and camels to represent wealth, strength and fertility. Being a tribal group, the sun and the moon are their primary sources of energy, here they play a central role, and symbolise the balance of energies and cosmic union of the couple.
Khovar paintings
The Sohrai paintings of the Jharkhand region are primarily known for the Khovar paintings. Khovar, or Kohbar, is painted in a room called the Kohbar Ghar, the place of residence for the new couple. Traditionally, these paintings are made by the married women to bless the newly married couple with fertility and prosperity. All the motifs in a Kohbar ghar symbolise fertility and a prosperous life. The peacock symbolises fertility, while the tree of life symbolises growth and continuity. Lotus, a flower growing in the mud, rises beyond it and blooms a pure flower.
Sanjhi
Sanjhi, or the art of paper-cutting, is practiced in the Mathura region of Uttar Pradesh. While there are numerous uses of it, the most prominent are the ones made to use as base for the Jal Sanjhi, or the wedding Sanjhi. The Sanjhi made for wedding processions are made on the walls of the bride’s house or the bridal chamber. The most common theme in Sanjhi is the depiction of Radha-Krishna and their story of eternal love.
Mandana
Practiced in the states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, Mandana is not an art, but a way of expressing, a way of depiction. Similar to Khovar, and Kohbar, Mandana is also made in the chambers of the bride and groom. It is primarily made with geometric patterns and lines, which often denote prosperity, fertility and auspiciousness.
Gond Art
Gond art is historically practiced by one of the largest tribes of India–the Gonds, residing in Madhya Pradesh. It is typically done on walls of people’s homes and incorporates the dots-and-lines pattern. Since the tribe has a deep sense of affinity with the nature that surrounds them,the overarching themes and motifs in this art are related to trees, animals, birds, and also deities.
This art is made during many important occasions, including weddings. The unique gond patterns made from the beautiful dot-and-line technique are used in making various customised wedding gifts and even on the walls of the houses where weddings are taking place.
Since this art encompasses the celebration of every important life event, weddings also happen to be an occasion where this art is used to invoke auspiciousness.
This story first appeared on MeMeraki.
About MeMeraki
MeMeraki is India’s first ‘culture-tech’ platform using technology to empower and accelerate the artisan creator economy. Their mission is to digitise every heritage art and craft of India to ultimately create sustainable livelihoods for artisans.
The lead image at the top shows a Monochromatic Madhubani Kohbar made in the nuptial chamber for the newly wedded couple.
Arushi Mishra is a passionate art enthusiast with a penchant for exploring different forms of art. Arushi is also an eager writer and loves to write on history, art and various global issues.
