The dwindling folk art of Kumaon, the Aipan, has drawn a team of researchers from Delhi to its place of origin. In association with The Himalaya Study Centre, the team visited Almora and interacted with different communities of women from Nanda Devi Handlooms and Mahila Haat.
The team under the guidance of Kalyan Mankoti, also interacted with the trainees of Chaili Aipan, a government initiative. The team gathered significant information regarding Aipan art and Kumaoni culture which would act as a guiding force in the future.
The team from Enactus IPCW spent two days in Almora and arrived at The Buransh Retreat in Kausani on Thursday. There, the team spent time with the students of lakshmi Ashram and Vivekananda Vidya Mandir, exchanging ideas and sharing stories. These students attended an Aipan workshop conducted by the Enactus team at The Buransh Retreat under the support and guidance of Threesh Kapoor, Anita Kapoor and Prasanna Kapoor on the following day.
The workshop encompassed a brief session educating the locals about the significance of different elements of Aipan. To translate this theoretical knowledge into practice, an art workshop was conducted for them. The event saw an enthusiastic participation where local women, students and teachers drew traditional Aipan motifs. This was a step towards reviving Aipan and enabling progress through entrepreneurial action, said the organisers of the workshop.
It is pertinent to mention here that Aipan is a traditional art form which depicts the culture of Kumaon, Uttarakhand. Derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Arpan’, which means ‘to pigment’, Aipan art fills colours in routine and celebrates the multi-hued facets of life.
Auspicious in its bearing and traditionally made with the last three fingers of the hand using ‘Geru’ and ‘Biswar’ (rice paste), this art form adorns the floors and walls of various households in Kumaon. It will be recalled that recently, chief minister Harish Rawat had directed that Aipan paintings will have to be displayed mandatorily in all State Government offices.