An exhibition based on Malwai style of folk paintings, ‘Shrishti,’ began here on Friday at the Madhya Pradesh Tribal Museum.
The exhibition would display the paintings by Krishna Verma that would be on view till May 30. The motive of organising this exhibition is to introduce this Malwai tradition of folk painting to the visitors.
Notably, in Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh there is a tradition of making paintings on walls and also on floors, on different festivals and many other important occasions. This tradition of folk paintings is very rich and attractive. These traditional drawings are generally made by women of the house but sometime they are also made by the male members of the family.
Ganga pooja, marriage goddess, pagaleya of child birth, impression of hands with turmeric and vermillion are some of the traditional views of the region that are portrayed beautifully over the canvas. Narvat in Navratri, images of snake god on Naag panchami are often drawn in these traditional paintings.
The images and forms of folk paintings are enriched with local atmosphere that comprises of a combination of various folk conditioning, colors, lines and different figures and figurines too are highly enriched with the development through primitive energy.
Squares, triangles, circles, spheres, lines and dots represent social, religious and spiritual aspects of life. Birds and animal forms are painted, also leaves, flowers, conch shells, elephants, chakras, swastiks and also peacocks, parrots and sometimes scorpions too are commonly painted forms and behind them are some traditional beliefs.
Though these drawings are symbolic but these have many hidden myths too, still they are like an open book to the folk.
Decorating their houses, courtyards, door steps, walls and also chaupals are done even today in Malwa region and other States too, as they believe that it is like ornamenting mother earth.
All these traditions are wonderfully painted over the canvas by Krishna that would be displayed at the Tribal Museum art gallery.