From Sikkim To Kerala & Beyond: Mapping India's Folk Art Traditions

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. 

Folk Artforms, Craft, & Paintings Across India:  

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 -

Warli

Pinguli

Chitrakathi

Tamil Nadu -

Tanjore

Mica

Mural Paintings

Uttar Pradesh -

Sanjhi

Miniature Art

Aipan

Himachal Pradesh -

Kangra

Chamba

Uttarakhand -

Garhwal School of Art

Aipan

Peeth

Kerala -

Kerala mural

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 -

Kalamkari

Leather Puppetry

Tirupati School Of Painting

Adivasi Kolam Painting

Telangana

Cheriyal Scroll Art

Nirmal Arts

Deccani Paintings

Kalamkari

Odisha

Pattachitra

Chitrapothi

Mural Paintings

Saura

Santhal

Bihar

Madhubani

Mica

Santhal

Manjusha Patna Qalam or Patna School of Painting

Chattisgarh

Dokra

Pithora

Godhna

Wrought Iron or Loha Shilp

Gujarat -

Mata Ni Pachedi

Gujrat Folk

Rathwa

Rogan

Miniature Art

Pithora

Madhya Pradesh

Gond

Bhil

Mandana

Sanjhi

Thapa

Pithora

Bengal -

Patua

Chaksudan

Terracotta Plate Work

Folk Paintings From Midnapore

Kalighat Paintings

Bengal Scroll

Chadar Badar

Santhal Puppetry

Jharkhand -

Dhokra Art

Paitkar

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

Phad

Pichwai

Meenakari

Jaipur Art

Marwar Art

Mewar Art

Bikaner Art

Bundi & Kota

Kishangarh

Dhenu

Kavad

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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