Art, Crafts, and Traditional Dance

Jharkhand is a treasure trove of tribal art, crafts, and traditional dance, all deeply tied to its natural surroundings and cultural roots. These forms of expression aren’t just for aesthetics—they are part of daily life, rituals, festivals, and storytelling passed down through generations.

🎨 Art of Jharkhand

🖌️ 1. Sohrai and Khovar Paintings

🎨 Sohrai Paintings

📅 When:

  • Made during the Sohrai festival, which coincides with Diwali and the harvest season (October–November).

🐂 Purpose:

  • Celebrates cattle, fertility, and nature.
  • Houses are cleaned and decorated to welcome prosperity and good fortune.

🖌️ Style & Features:

  • Painted on mud walls using natural colors made from clay, charcoal, rice paste, and red ochre.
  • Brushes are often made from chewed twigs, feathers, or fingers.
  • Common motifs:
    • Animals: elephants, peacocks, bulls, deer
    • Trees, flowers, birds
    • Geometric patterns and tribal symbols
  • Painted mostly by women as part of a community tradition.

🖌️ Khovar Paintings

📅 When:

  • Associated with weddings, especially among the Kurmi and Oraon tribes.

👰 Purpose:

  • Khovar means “bride’s chamber” (Kho = cave, Var = groom).
  • These paintings are made to bless the bride and groom and decorate wedding spaces.

🖼️ Style & Features:

  • Created by scratching designs into layers of black and white clay (a reverse painting technique).
  • Common motifs:
    • Vines, fish, tigers, peacocks
    • Symbols of fertility and love
  • Traditionally done by women using fingers or twigs.

🌱 Materials Used (Eco-Friendly)

  • Black mud (manganese-rich soil)
  • White clay (kaolin)
  • Red ochre, charcoal, rice flour
  • No artificial colors—everything is sourced from nature.

🏆 Recognition

  • Both Sohrai and Khovar arts are protected under the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
  • Promoted by artists like Basu Dev Mahali and organizations such as Tribal Women Artists Cooperative (TWAC).
  • Now seen on canvases, textiles, pottery, and in urban art galleries.

🪵 2. Wood Carving

Wood carving in Jharkhand is a traditional tribal craft that reflects the region’s deep connection with nature, spirituality, and daily life. Practiced mainly by tribes like the Santhal, Munda, Oraon, and Ho, it is both a folk art and a functional craft passed down through generations.

🪵 Overview of Wood Carving in Jharkhand

🌲 Raw Materials:

  • Sourced from local forests:
    • Sal, Teak, Bamboo, Mahua, and Neem wood.
  • Tools are simple: Chisels, knives, and handmade instruments.

🖼️ What Do They Carve?

🏠 1. Architectural Elements

  • Doors, windows, pillars, and wall panels in tribal homes are intricately carved.
  • Motifs often include:
    • Floral designs
    • Birds and animals
    • Tribal deities and nature symbols

🙏 2. Ritual and Religious Objects

  • Totem poles, tribal masks, ritual figures, and ancestral idols.
  • Used during festivals, dances, and ceremonies.

👣 3. Figurines and Sculptures

  • Small wooden statues of dancers, hunters, musicians, and deities.
  • Often represent folk tales, tribal legends, or community life.

🎭 4. Masks (Chhau Dance)

  • Seraikela Chhau dancers use beautifully carved and painted wooden masks.
  • Each mask portrays a character from Hindu epics or tribal mythology.

🎁 5. Everyday Items

  • Wooden combs, stools, containers, ladles, and even musical instruments like flutes and drums.

🧬 Cultural Importance

  • Wood carving is more than craft—it’s a form of storytelling, spirituality, and identity.
  • Every carved piece carries a symbol or meaning, often linked to tribal folklore, beliefs, or ancestral worship.

🏆 Present-Day Efforts

  • Promoted through:
    • Tribal handicraft fairs
    • Government emporiums
    • Eco-tourism and online platforms
  • Efforts are underway to preserve and commercialize the craft while keeping its authenticity.

🧵 3. Bamboo and Cane Craft

  • Everyday items like baskets, mats, fishing tools, and decorative items.
  • Lightweight, strong, and environment-friendly.

🛍️ 4. Dokra (Bell Metal) Craft

  • Ancient lost-wax metal casting technique.
  • Creates tribal figurines, animals, jewelry, lamps, and ritual items.
  • Mainly done by the Malhar and Ghasi tribes.

🏺 5. Terracotta and Pottery

  • Used for ritual use, kitchenware, toys, and decorative purposes.
  • Tribal motifs often painted or etched on surfaces.

💃 Traditional Dance of Jharkhand

Dance is an essential part of tribal life in Jharkhand—used in festivals, harvests, marriages, and community gatherings.

🌾 1. Chhau Dance (Seraikela style)

  • Semi-classical dance form, recognized internationally.
  • Features elaborate masks, martial movements, and storytelling (mythology, nature).
  • Usually performed by male dancers.

🥁 2. Santhali Dance

  • Performed by the Santhal tribe, especially during Tusu, Sohrai, and harvest festivals.
  • Features: Line dancing, colorful traditional clothes, and instruments like Tamak and Tumdak.

🕊️ 3. Paika Dance

  • Martial dance performed by men with swords and shields.
  • Popular among Munda and Oraon tribes.
  • Symbolizes valor and heroism.

💫 4. Jadur Dance

  • A magical, spiritual dance performed to ward off evil spirits.
  • Performed during healing rituals or seasonal changes.

🎶 5. Domkach

  • A wedding dance performed by both men and women.
  • Features playful and romantic themes, sometimes with humorous lyrics.

🎼 Musical Instruments of Jharkhand

  • Mandar: A drum used in most tribal dances.
  • Tumdak & Tamak: Traditional percussion instruments.
  • Bansuri (flute) and Nagada also commonly used.