Bengal Handicraft. Wooden Toys. Pair of Owls

A very old piece done by the senior artist of the village of Pingla, Baharjan Chitrakar. She has never been to a school or has never had a formal training in the art. She learnt it from her mother and grandmother as they learnt from their older generations. Done in all natural colours, the Hindu god Ganesha comes alive by the hands of a Muslim female artist. Such is the power of art. It takes one and all way beyond religious, educational or cultural barriers. 

The location of these Patachitra Shilpi or artists falls in a place, popularly known as Jangal Mahal in West Bengal. The area is home to a number of indigenous tribes like Santhals, Vills, Mundas. The paintings, for obvious reasons, depict the tribal culture. One such example by Nazra Chitrakar, who learnt the art from her older generations and is now passing it on to her successors. The painting shows how the tribal youth goes hunting and come back with their catch.