Essay on mandana art form
Answers
Mandana paintings are one of the oldest forms of tribal art in India that has survived over the ages. It is done in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh by one of the oldest tribal communities, the Meenas. This art is done on walls and floors, both within and surrounding the house, as a way to ward off evil and welcome the blessings of gods into the home. Within the Meena community, this painting is done predominantly by women, as traditionally it is their social role to take care of the house and the family. This art form is not passed on through any formal training neither is it recognized as a discipline. On the contrary, girls learn the art by observing and emulating their mothers.
Background
Mandana in the local language refers to ‘drawing’ in the context of chitra mandana or ‘drawing a picture’. Mandana is derived from the word Mandan which implies decoration and beautification. Historically, they have been practiced for centuries by women of the Meena community as decorations for special or festive occasions. Among others, these events included communal religious worship, festivals and fasts and lastly auspicious days in the life of the community such as birth or marriage.
Since they were drawn for spiritual purposes, the pictures usually consisted of the main deity of the festival. This served two purposes simultaneously; a) the deity of the festival is invoked through the paintings b) the pictures were also a symbolic representation of the god or goddess.