About Sohrai Art Form:

• Sohrai painting is an indigenous art form practised by tribal women in the Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand.
• The paintings are done on mud walls to welcome the harvest and to celebrate the cattle. The women clean their houses and decorate their walls with murals of Sohrai arts.
• This art form has continued since 10,000-4,000 BC. It was prevalent mostly in caves, but shifted to houses with mud walls. Sohrai Khovar painting received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2020.

Key Features of Sohrai Art Form

• The Sohrai art form can be monochromatic or colourful. The people coat the wall with a layer of white mud, and while the layer is still wet, they draw with their fingertips on it.
• Their designs range from flowers and fruits to various other nature-inspired designs. The cow dung is used to add colour.
• The artists are spontaneous in their drawings. The designs are usually drawn from the artist’s memory. The personal experience of the artist and their interaction with nature are the biggest influence.

Source: EPIC March 2022