Her bare fingers act as her painting brush. Charcoal, clay, red clay and green leaves are the ingredients from where she draws her colours. The walls and floorings are her canvas. This is not just for Sumanti Devi Bhagat of Shylla village in Jashpur district of Chhattisgarh, but it is the traditional Oraon style of painting that the entire community was once adept at.

These paintings, which stand apart for following specific patterns, designs and figures for different occasions and festivals, are gradually losing connect with the new generation.

Sumanti Devi Bhagat, a known name in the art, says that she was always fascinated when she watched her mother draw beautiful patterns and figures with ease with her bare fingers. She learnt the art as part of the custom of her tribe as did her sisters and other girls of the community. And though she was sent to Bhopal to pursue higher education, ultimately it was the art she learnt as a child that she went back to. A post graduate in political science, Bhagat left her private job to promote traditional Oraon painting that has been passed on for generations from time immemorial.

“I want to ensure that it does not disappear into oblivion with the changing times,” says Bhagat. Her first break came when she was invited to the national tribal art fair workshop in Bhubaneswar on behalf of Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya. Since then she has been taking her traditional tribal artwork to different fairs and exhibitions.

An Oraon tribal home used to be like an art gallery, with geometric patterns in greyish black and the figures drawn from nature. “Trees, plants, birds and animals would be painted on the inner walls and windows. That is not the case any more,” says Shakuntala Oraon, Bhagat’s sister who was earlier the leader of the Oraon Adivasi Dance group. She is now settled in Jashpur after her marriage.

“With more and more families migrating in search of livelihood, the new generation is losing touch with our traditional art,” she says. “It is now only during the festivals that villagers decorate their homes with these traditional designs. Earlier this art was our way of life.” “We are not getting any help from the government to popularise our art. I applied for an Oraon artist card eight months ago and hope to get it soon,” says Shakuntala. “The card means that I will get the stall for my art work at exhibitions and fairs free of cost, otherwise it is difficult to sustain yourself on the art.”

Bhagat is also leading a group that is keeping alive its traditional Karma and Sarhul dances that display devotion and love for nature and the exuberant spirit of the community. While the Karma dance involves worship of the Karam tree, the Sarhul dance revolves around the flower by this name. The Karma dance is celebrated in October after harvesting. There are interesting legends associated with the two dances.

“We are invited to perform these traditional dances at various functions and festivals,” says Bhagat.

“We used to get invited to the Khajuraho festival to display our traditional paintings and dances, but this has not been happening for the last few years,” laments Shakuntala Oraon“I am trying to form a dance group here as well. Hope I will be able to do so.”

For Bhagat, her endeavour is to ensure that the traditional arts of her tribe do not disappear into oblivion. “My ambition and dream is to make the Oraon style of art as popular as Gond tribal art and Madhubani painting.”

The writer is a senior journalist based in Delhi

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