With the myriad of weddings and wedding ceremonies occurring this time of the year, it is crucial to select a worthy gift for newly-wed couples and their journey ahead. However, with the abundance of gifting choices in the market today, the average person is generally lost when it comes to choosing a wedding gift.
It is for this very reason that we have carefully curated a list of traditional Indian arts and paintings that can make for exceptional wedding gifts. These traditional Indian art forms are sustainable and environmentally friendly.
Why Choose Traditional Indian Art as a Wedding Gift?
With various types of traditional art forms in India, there is not only a celebration of diversity but also the rich cultural history of the country. They are a pictorial representation of the importance these art forms hold for respective communities and how it has shaped their way of living.
Therefore, gifting a piece of traditional Indian art, not only highlights its cultural significance but also reflects the thoughtfulness of the person gifting it.
Each traditional art form of India carries with it a narrative and beliefs of its community. Weddings are one such occasion where most Indian art forms have a special function to play. These art forms, apart from other auspicious occasions, are evoked at weddings, symbolising their indispensable religious, traditional and cultural value. Most of them are used to bring forth a feeling of celebration, joy, and harmony.
Many of them are also used to symbolise fertility, prosperity, growth and good fortune. In the following list, you will learn in detail about each art form and its significance during weddings.
Traditional Paintings
Gond Paintings
A captivating form of traditional art – Gond is made by the Gond tribe of Madhya Pradesh. Traditionally, Gond art was done on the mud-walls of homes, as a sign of good luck and religious sentiment. The most prominent theme in most of these paintings is nature.
It was also done to celebrate various special occasions and festivals such as weddings and births, or to commemorate other important events.
This art is characterised by intricate patterns and vibrant colours. These paintings can make for a great wedding gift with their dazzling portrayal of the interconnectedness between nature and humans. These paintings also represent harmony, growth and prosperity for newly-wed couples.
Khovar Paintings
Khovar paintings are traditionally practised in the Hazaribagh region of Jharkhand. It is made as murals on walls. The term ‘Khovar’ is derived from ‘kho’ meaning cave, and ‘vara’ meaning bridal couple. This art is thus done during the wedding season as they are considered auspicious.
Various motifs such as peacocks, lotus and the tree of life are used to symbolise fertility, prosperity and growth, in the lives of couples.
Madhubani Paintings
Madhubani art is one of the most celebrated traditional arts of India. It hails from the Mithila region of Bihar and is characterised by bold outlines and highly detailed patterns. Central themes of this art include nature, humans, scenes from daily lives, Hindu deities and so on.
These paintings were historically made on the mud-walls and floors of people’s homes.
A special form of Madhubani painting made during wedding ceremonies is known as Kohbar. It is specially made on the walls of a newlywed couple’s wedding chamber. It is said to invoke fertility, prosperity and auspiciousness in the life of the couple.
A Madhubani painting is thus, a fitting wedding gift to give at any wedding.
Alternatively, various other items adorned with Madhubani art can also make for stunning wedding gifts, such as – coasters, trays and stoles. Each element in the Madhubani painting blesses them with good luck.
Phad Paintings
Phad paintings from Rajasthan are a form of narrative representation in pictorial form of folk and religious texts. A 700-year-old art form, it includes intricate detailing and vivid colours.
These paintings were historically used in various ceremonies, where stories were narrated along with the Phad and music was also incorporated in it.
These paintings will create a unique gift for any newly-wed couple, enriching their lives with a touch of culture and art.
Sanjhi Art
The Sanjhi art from Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, is a unique form of paper-cutting craft that includes elaborate patterns and delicate designs.
Common themes include floral motifs, mythological and religious symbols, as well as Hindu deities. The most common Hindu deities to be featured in this art form are Lord Krishna and Radha (Lord Krishna’s beloved).
This art thus evokes a feeling of divinity and auspiciousness during the wedding season and makes for a thoughtful gift.
Warli Paintings
Warli art is done by the Warli tribe of Thane district in Maharashtra. This art is similar to the cave paintings found in the caves of Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh, which are dated to being drawn between 10,000-500 B.C.E. It is deeply rooted in nature because the tribe believes that nature is akin to the divine.
This art is understood to be auspicious and is generally made on the walls of people’s homes. The goddess Palaghat, is a much revered goddess by the tribe and is known to be evoked in every wedding season.
She is represented along with other symbols of fertility and divine energy – the sun and the moon. This painting is believed to keep evil spirits at bay and bless the newly-wed couple with harmony and fertility.
Thus, a Warli piece of art is the most sought-after choice of gift during weddings, symbolising good fortune and long life to couples.
In the next part of this feature (scheduled for January 20), we’ll delve into the kinds of religious paintings and home decor items from the subcontinent that make for sublime wedding gifts! Come back to this space for more on that.
The lead image on top shows a collage of some traditional paintings. (Image courtesy MeMeraki)
This story first appeared on MeMeraki.
About MeMeraki
MeMeraki is India’s first ‘culture-tech’ platform using technology to empower and accelerate the artisan creator economy. Their mission is to digitise every heritage art and craft of India to ultimately create sustainable livelihoods for artisans.
Arushi Mishra is a passionate art enthusiast with a penchant for exploring different forms of art. Arushi is also an eager writer and loves to write on history, art and various global issues.
