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Picture Courtesy: https://www.newsonair.gov.in/pm-modi-gifts-jharkhands-art-to-russias-president-putin-during-brics-summit/

Context:

The Prime Minister of India presented gifts to the leaders of Russia, Iran, and Uzbekistan during the 2024 BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia.

About Sohrai Painting

Sohrai Painting is an indigenous art of wall painting technique, mainly practiced in the Hazaribagh district, Jharkhand.

It is related to the Sohrai festival, which is celebrated after Diwali.

The root of this art form goes to the Paleolithic period (7000 and 400 BC).

The art form derived its name from the Mundari verb "Soroi", which means 'to whip with a stick'.

It is a matriarchal form of art; which is passed from mother to daughter.

The main theme includes; animals, birds, and nature, which highlights the indigenous tribal communities' relation with wildlife.

Painting Process

The process starts with the coating of the wall surface with a mixture of soil and manure, which is followed by a layer of white clay.

Natural colors, brushes created from leaves, rice straw, or even fingers are used to draw the pattern.

The patterns are designed on the partially dry clay using brushes created from leaves, rice straw, sticks, also drawn by fingers.

In the painting, the red lines signifies ancestors or fertility, followed by a black line representing Shiva, and finally by white lines representing food.

Mother of Pearl Sea Shell Vase

The Prime Minister of India gifted a Mother of Pearl Sea Shell Vase to the President of Iran. It shows the coastal craftsmanship of Maharashtra, where the artisans transform sea shells into luxurious art form

Warli Painting

The Prime Minister of India gifted Warli Painting to the President of Uzbekistan.

It is an art form from the Warli tribe, mainly practiced in the North Sahyadri Range of Maharashtra. Its origin dates back to around the 10th century CE.

It uses shapes in the painting as a symbolic sign

• Circles to represent the sun and moon.
• Triangles to symbolize mountains and conical trees.
• Squares to indicate human-made spaces or sacred enclosures.

The central element is called "chauk" or "chaukat" featuring the mother goddess, represents unity and family.

It depicts scenes of hunting, farming, and festivals. Tarpa Dance around a tarpa player, symbolizing the cycle of life.

Materials Used

Painted on the walls of clay huts made from branches, earth, and red brick, creating a natural ochre background.

White pigment made from rice flour mixed with water and gum.

A bamboo stick, chewed at one end, used as a paintbrush.

Since the 1970s, artists like Jivya Soma Mashe and Balu Mashe popularized Warli painting on paper and canvas.

Source: 

NewsonAir

Wikipedia