This article was written in collaboration with MeMeraki. MeMeraki is India’s first ‘culture-tech’ platform using technology to empower and accelerate the artisan creator economy.
There is so much to see and do in India. From ancient temples to vibrant markets, it's easy to get overwhelmed by all of the different things to do and see. However, one of the most neglected parts of Indian culture(s) in modern times is its folk art, also known as tribal art or village crafts, depending on the community that practices it.
Some of the forms of Indian folk art include rock paintings, textiles, sculptures and other a diverse range of surface paintings made by various tribal and cultural groups for religious or social reasons.
Ladakh -
Tibetan & Thangka Art
Sikkim -
Thangka Paintings
Punjab -
Sikh School of Art Mudwall Painting or Chowk Poorana
Arunachal Pradesh -
Thangka
Haryana -
Rajput school of wall painting found in Haryana, Kalayat and Kaithal
Rohtak paintings
Nagaland -
Nagaland Cloth Paintings
Goa -
Goa Folk Art
Karnataka -
Chittara
Ganjifa Art
Mysore style
Samavasaran
Assam -
Assamese Scroll paintings
Assam Folk Paintings
Jammu and Kashmir -
Paper Mache
Basholi
Maharashtra -
Pinguli
Tamil Nadu -
Mica
Uttar Pradesh -
Miniature Art
Himachal Pradesh -
Chamba
Uttarakhand -
Garhwal School of Art
Aipan
Peeth
Kerala -
Kathakali Body Painting
Theyyam
Kalamezhuthu
Dadra and Nagar Haveli -
Warli
Daman and Diu -
Warli
Lakshadweep
Shell Craft From Lakshwadeep
Manipur
Manipur Stone Black Pottery
Wood Carving
Meghalaya -
Kurt & Bamboo Craft
Mizoram -
Cane Work
Tripura -
Bamboo Work
Sikkim -
Thangka Paintings
Puducherry -
Puducherry Bommai
Andhra Pradesh -
Leather Puppetry
Tirupati School Of Painting
Adivasi Kolam Painting
Telangana
Cheriyal Scroll Art
Nirmal Arts
Deccani Paintings
Kalamkari
Odisha
Pattachitra
Chitrapothi
Mural Paintings
Santhal
Bihar
Mica
Santhal
Manjusha Patna Qalam or Patna School of Painting
Chattisgarh
Dokra
Godhna
Wrought Iron or Loha Shilp
Gujarat -
Gujrat Folk
Rathwa
Rogan
Miniature Art
Pithora
Madhya Pradesh
Sanjhi
Thapa
Pithora
Bengal -
Patua
Chaksudan
Terracotta Plate Work
Folk Paintings From Midnapore
Kalighat Paintings
Bengal Scroll
Chadar Badar
Santhal Puppetry
Jharkhand -
Dhokra Art
Jadopatia Paintings
Sohrai Art
Kohver Art
Ganju Art
Rana, Teli and Prajapati Art
Kurmi Art
Mundas Art
Turi art
Birhor and Bhuiya Art
Ghatwal art
Rajasthan -
Miniature Art
Meenakari
Jaipur Art
Marwar Art
Mewar Art
Bikaner Art
Bundi & Kota
Dhenu
Molela Terracotta
Jogi
Indian folk art, with its diverse styles and techniques, reflects the collective history, traditions, and aspirations of communities. It showcases the creative intellect of people and their intelligence in adapting indigenous resources into expressive art forms. These art forms, rooted in the daily lives and rituals of the people, not only preserve cultural narratives but also celebrate the resourcefulness and artistic ingenuity of local communities.
There are art forms that go back thousands of years and feature gods, goddesses and powerful spirits. The magic and mysticism of India come alive through these crafts, which have been passed down for centuries. If you're interested in ancient folklore, mythology and religion, Indian folk art is the perfect choice for you!
About MeMeraki:
MeMeraki (www.memeraki.com) is India’s first ‘culture-tech’ platform using technology to empower and accelerate the artisan creator economy. Their mission is to digitize every heritage art and craft of India to ultimately create sustainable livelihoods for artisans.
MeMeraki's north star is to enable the master artists of India to have a strong digital identity through their work so that these artists can be digital creators for the very first time and have access to a global audience as patrons of their art. Through this process they hope to create new revenue and sustainable income streams for the second biggest employment generator in the country - the craft economy. To do this, they leverage technology scalably while also ensuring that they address United Nation Sustainable Development Goals 1, 12, 10 and 5.
MeMeraki are reimagining the future of the artisan creator economy with artisans as digital creators.
You can follow MeMeraki on Instagram here.
You can find out more information about their workshops, classes, digital creators, and everything else they have going on here.
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