Tribal artist creates coat of many colours for PM

I have always been steeped in ordinariness. Born in a small tribal town of Jhobat in Madhya Pradesh, I am the eldest of three siblings and my father is a motor mechanic.

Like many others, I did not enjoy studying. But then the pressure on me to find a suitable job was immense. I did prepare for some time to take the examination to become a police sub-inspector. But I did not make any headway.

The pressure on me to come good mounted. I felt trapped as did many others. Everyone around me was waiting in the middle of nowhere with little hope to escape the gloomy reality. So did I.

Time was running out. But then painting happened.

I heard about the Bachelor of Arts course and I enrolled immediately. Then one thing led to another. During the Covid lockdown, I read up on tribal culture and art. It was then I discovered the beauty of Pithora art. It changed my life.

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Originating from pre-historic cave paintings, Pithora is some 1000 years old. Practiced by the Rathwa, Bhils and Bhilala tribes, the paintings mostly on walls capture the socio-religious history of the tribes, as also the current times. 

I found my calling, creating Pithora art.

Social media helped. I uploaded photographs of my work on the Internet and people started to like and share them. I painted our great hero Tantiya Bheel on a mahua tree. Its video got eight lakh views and 70,000 shares.

Encouraged by the response, I borrowed money from friends and opened a small gallery in Indore. Initially, I kept it a secret from my parents. But then they finally came to formally inaugurate the gallery.

Soon, the gallery found fame. The local Zilla Parishad promoted us, and we kept getting orders to design cafes and paint walls on the side of streets.

I started creating Pithora art on textiles too. 

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During a state event, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan wore a jacket that had Pithora design made by me. He shared a picture of it on Instagram as well.

Since then, the chief minister instantly recognises me whenever he sees me at state events.

I got an even greater opportunity during the Adi Mahotsav festival. I had set up two stalls – one for Pithora art and the other for tribal art work. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was to visit the exhibition and we were all excited.

Then the prime minister came. None of us were sure which stalls he would visit, but I hoped against hope that he would come to ours.

I had prepared myself for the PM’s visit. I could not attend an earlier event attended by President Draupadi Murmu since I didn’t have a Covid negative certificate. 

This time though, I was ready, should the PM visit my stall. 

Luck was on my side and Modi did come to our stall and I presented to him a light green jacket with Pithora artwork on it. I gifted him a traditional ‘gamcha’ as well.

The prime minister was pleased. He asked me about my education, my home town and my life. He asked about Pithora art too.

I was on cloud nine.

He sported the jacket and the gamcha. I gave him a Pithora painting as well, but he said he would not keep it. Instead, he asked me to keep the painting in the stall and let everyone know that it was a painting for Narendra Modi.

His visit was brief, but his appreciation for my work would last lifetime. I have indeed come a long way – from a poor girl without much hope to being an artist who stitched a jacket for none other than the prime minister.

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