SOH-PD 12

SOHRAI ART. ARTIST IS PARVATI DEVI. Sohrai art is practised by the Santhal people of the Bengal and Jharkhand regions of India. It gets its name from the important harvest festival called Sohrai - a two-day extravagant gathering celebrated by all communities in this region. The significant aspect of this art form is that it is practised strictly by the married women of the community and is carried down the generations. It is minimalist yet aesthetically pleasing, the delicate strokes and measured colours come together to produce artworks that are an integral part of festivals and rituals. Animal, plants and sacred motifs are passed down through generations. They are considered auspicious and often drawn on the walls of houses. Age-old techniques of colour making are employed to paint these images. A longer look reveals their affinity with rock cave paintings found in the region.