Bastar Art Painting & Drawing | Bastar Handicraft

Tribal Art of Bastar

India’s first blacksmiths were tribal people. The tools they made for farming purposes were later recycled for an art that is still practiced today.The Bastar district is packed with small villages whose craft workers are renowned for their metalwork and terracotta ware. Their products are exported all over the world.

Among the rich craft activities of the region is Dhokra, which involves precision, practice and skill. The preparation involves the use of cow dung, paddy husk and red soil, with beeswax. Dhokra work uses the increasingly rare lost wax technique to make beautiful vessels, jewellery and images of local deities. Among the areas where this craft is widely practiced are Kondagaon, Raigarh and Sarguja. Craftspersons from the Ghadwa community are known to be experts in this particular craft. However, time and tide demand progress and development. The tribal societies of Bastar find themselves on the crossroads asking one question above all—to change or not to change?

Dhokra, Lohshilp and terracotta pottery are the most typical crafts of the Bastar area. The traditional skills are passed down from generation to generation by various tribal communities in the area, centred on the villages of Kondagaon, Umargaon and Gunagaon.

Dhokra is an ancient art based on a lost wax bronze casting technique said to date back more than 4000 years.

Lohshilp, or wrought iron work, is another unique craft practiced in the Bastar area. These artworks are made from bits of scrap iron heated in a forge, twisted and hammered to create naïve but expressive forms

Terracotta pottery is another of the area’s specialities. Its characteristic reddish colour comes from the natural colour of the clay. Its commonest themes are tribal patterns, elephants and horses.

Unique Arts and Crafts of Bastar

Paintings inspired by tattoos, legends expressed in bell metal sculptures, clay utensils that do double duty as objects d’art – the list goes on. Bastar’s adivasis have honed the skill of making the most out of very little.

Dhokra

Bastar’s signature craft is Dhokra, an ancient method of metal casting. The skill has been passed down through generations and a number of family members are usually involved, from the initial clay moulding and melting of metal to the painstaking job of covering the moulds in wax thread, a part of the process which is unique to Bastar. The artefacts made in this style often depict tribal themes.

Wrought Iron

Slim figurines of animals were most commonly crafted in wrought iron, but candle stands, mirror frames, penholders and more are available today.

Weaving

The traditional weaves of Bastar comprise thick and rough cotton threads in white, which mingle with dyed maroons. The cloth is often used to make short saris, towels and bedspreads.

Woodcraft

Wooden carvings were originally used to decorate pillars or create images of gods and goddesses. Today, the work has found its way into bed panels and home furnishings but the themes still revolve around tribal life. The elaborately dressed Bison Horn Marias are often depicted in these designs.

Terracotta & Clay Work

Regular pots and everyday items are available everywhere but local potters also make more ornate creations such as caparisoned elephants.

Sisal

Its durability and resistance to moisture makes sisal (agave) a popular raw material for dolls, wall hangings, tablemats, coasters and bags.

Godna

Age-old tribal tattoo designs are replicated on fabric.

Kosa Silk

A papery silk derived from cocoons (kosha) collected off sal, saja, and Arjun trees. It takes nearly 10 cocoons to yield one strand of silk and 15 days to complete one sari.

Tribal Paintings

The artwork that adorns village walls and memory pillars also inspires paintings on canvas.

Tumba

Hollow gourd shells have long been used as containers for liquor. These are often attractively decorated and even repurposed to make chic lamps.

Stonework

Adivasi stone carvings often take the shape of local deities or animals, attractively decorated and even repurposed to make chic lamps.

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All across the region, there are small clusters of homes engaged in various arts and crafts.

BEST HANDICRAFT DESTINATIONS IN BASTAR

BASTAR

Kondagaon

The NGO Saathi plays a key role in promoting the traditional crafts of Bastar. Visit their showroom for a variety of handicrafts. Kondagaon is particularly famous for bell metal; don’t miss Jaidev Bhagel’s workshop. There are also craft villages nearby that specialise in woodwork, wrought iron, terracotta and more.

Narayanpur

This Muria stronghold is best known for terracotta and woodwork. Find a good selection at the Shilpagram Sevagram, or head out to one of the nearby craft workshops.

Shilpagram, Parchanpal

A crafts village designed to showcase the creativity of Bastar’s adivasis. Here you can witness artisans deftly transform wood, wrought iron, sisal, terracotta, tumba and bell metal.

Jagdalpur & around

With several shops selling quality handicrafts, the Bastar headquarters is a great place to pick up souvenirs. The government-run emporium Shabari is a convenient one-stop-shop, but the Wood Market and Kosa Silk Centre provide a more specialized shopping experience. If you’re in town don’t miss a day trip to one of the several craft villages near town.

Tuma Craft of Bastar

Tuma craft, which uses dry gourds, is considered as one of the unique crafts of Chattisgarh. A recently developed craft is an example of craft innovation and exists in the region of Bastar in Chattisgarh. Dried gourd is etched with hot knifes with beautiful patterns and made into various products ranging from wall hangings to pendants. Jagat Ram Devangan of Kondagaon is the craftsman behind the innovation of the Tuma craft. Tuma products include lampshades, planters, wall hangings, utensils and masks. The recent jewelry range is a good example of innovation. Bitter gourds, which are normally not consumable, are used for the craft. Earlier the waste gourds were taken from the villagers, but now they grow it. Generally jewelry is made from the waste part of it. Designs are made keeping transportation in mind, like small lampshades are put inside big lampshades and filled with the jewelry products. Final product is made in such a way, that it doesn’t rot for years.

Kondagaon and Narainpur Craft Centres in Bastar

Artisan work in Bastar, Chhattisgarh is continued by tribal communities signifying their cultural heritage. Government and voluntary organisation are working towards conservation and promotion of this traditional art by giving them platform to market and exhibit their products. Chhattisgarh’s tribal communities have been engaged in making terracotta objects and figures for hundreds of years. The traditional craftsmen and women are renowned for their expertise in the fields of stone carving, woodcraft, terracotta, bell metal, Iron and bamboo craft. Kondagaon, Narayanpur and Jagdalpur are particularly famous for their terracotta elephants with bells and decorative pots. Metal work is also an integral part of the crafts tradition of the Bastar tribals. Brass, silver, iron and lead are used to make various figures of gods and deities. Kondagaon is known for its trademark bell metal which is also known as dokra craft. The population of this Bhelwapadar colony has been engaged in the craft making for generations. Just a distance away is the potter’s village called as Kumharpara. Kumharpara is a center of ceramic craft. Narainpur known for its excellent craftworks in bell metal, wood, wrought iron and bamboo. Ramakrishna Mission centre at a must visit place where one can meet people involved in welfare work amongst the tribal’s. Saathi, a voluntary organisation is helping Bastar’s tribal communities to revitalise their craft using new techniques to make and market their famous terracotta and bell metal works at the art centre, called Saathi (Companion), is run by a small group of dedicated ceramic professionals. Saathi’s mission is to help, sustain, develop and market Bastar’s self traditional arts and crafts in both national and international markets. Saathi has been able to impart technical and marketing skills to over 1,400 artisan families living in 90 villagers across three districts in Bastar.