“Ilkal sarees are the most affordable staple wear of the women of North Karnataka and Southern Maharashtra. This heritage weave is now on its way to being recognised nationally.” – Vrunda Sekhar for Sarmaya Talks. Vrunda Sekhar is a handloom specialist from Karnataka. She has been working with weavers in the research, revival and marketing… Read more »
“Through this illustrated talk we will cover the reasons for the deleterious decline of hand-block printing traditions in the 18th Century and their revival and regeneration in the India of today.” – Dr. Ritu Sethi for Sarmaya Talks. Dr Ritu Sethi is the editor of Global InCH, the online international journal of intangible cultural heritage,… Read more »
Painted on cotton cloths, Shatrunjaya patas map the physical and divine characteristics of the sacred hill in Palitana, Gujarat
Painted on cotton and imbued with piety, Shatrunjaya patas map the physical and divine characteristics of the sacred hill in Palitana, Gujarat
Odisha’s Pattachitra paintings are rooted in the culture of the seaside town of Puri and, more specifically, in its legendary Jagannath temple
Pichwai paintings were born in the temple town of Nathdwara in Rajasthan and centre the 8-year-old deity, Shrinathji
Art historian Rajarshi Sengupta takes us on a tour of south India’s celebrated Kalamkari textile tradition
This Gond-Pardhan painting is an acrylic on canvas work, made by artist Mayank Shyam (b. 1987) This painting depicts a body of water teeming with fish. Mayank Shyam found inspiration in the folktale of the Bada Dev, the main deity of the Gond-Pardhan community, that is believed to have been born as a fish in the water. The… Read more »
The Untitled Gond-Pardhan painting is an acrylic on paper work, made by artist Sukhnandi Vyam (b. 1983). This painting illustrates a passage from a mythology in the Gond community about Kammalheero, the queen consort of the king of Heergadhi. Kammalheero, disguised as a cow, travels to the enemy realm in search of her husband’s body after… Read more »
This untitled Bhil painting is by contemporary artist Lado Bai (b. 1954) depicting flora, fauna and a human figure. For the Bhil tribe of Madhya Pradesh, art is a device for marking events, preserving memories and capturing the community’s deep connection with nature. The fundamental theme of Lado Bai’s artwork is the symbiotic relationships between… Read more »
Sarmaya’s first exhibition in Delhi is now online! Experience the sights and sounds of ‘Echoes of the Land’ as it was staged at Ojas Art in Nov 2022
This Warli artwork titled ‘Kansari’ is by Tushar Vayeda (b.1987) and Mayur Vayeda (b.1992), artists based in Ganjad, Maharashtra. The Warli way of life is the way of the forest. The spirits worshipped by the tribe are personifications of natural phenomena. One such spirit is the subject of Tushar and Mayur Vayeda’s painting, Kansari, named… Read more »
This Warli artwork titled ‘The Wave’ is by Tushar Vayeda (b.1987) and Mayur Vayeda (b.1992), artists based in Ganjad, Maharashtra. Tushar and Mayur Vayeda retell a Warli legend in this work. There’s a belief in the community that in each life cycle of the earth, waves of natural and man-made disasters will strike until eventually,… Read more »
This Bhil painting titled Ploughing (Hal Chalana), is an acrylic on canvas work, made by artist Subhash Amliyar (b.1985) For the Bhil tribe of Madhya Pradesh, art is a device for marking events, preserving memories and capturing the community’s deep connection with nature. In Subhash Amliyar’s composition, a figure reminiscent of Lord Ganesha is seen… Read more »
This Gond-Pardhan painting (set of 5 panels) titled the ‘Transport Series (Train I-V)’ is an acrylic on canvas work, made by artist Mayank Shyam (b. 1987) Mayank Shyam is from the Gond-Pradhan community in Madhya Pradesh. His art is never purely observational. Behind each painting is a philosophy, message or story. In the Transport series, he draws… Read more »
This Gond-Pardhan painting (set of 5 panels) titled the ‘Transport Series (Plane I-V)’ is an acrylic on canvas work, made by artist Mayank Shyam (b. 1987) Mayank Shyam is from the Gond-Pradhan community in Madhya Pradesh. His art is never purely observational. Behind each painting is a philosophy, message or story. In the Transport series,… Read more »
The Untitled Gond-Pardhan painting is a Gouache and ink on paper work, made by artist Durgabai Vyam (b. 1972) The Mahua is considered the tree of life among the Gond-Pradhans of Madhya Pradesh. It plays a central role in the rituals and ceremonies of the community. Durga Bai Vyam conveys this bond in her Untitled work.… Read more »
The Untitled Gond-Pardhan painting is an acrylic on paper work, made by artist Sukhnandi Vyam (b. 1983) To see the world as it really is, our eyes must first be ‘awakened’ to enlightenment. Sukhnandi Vyam explores this idea using his signature motif of human eyes, which surround the omniscient third eye of Lord Shiva. In the… Read more »
Nourished for millennia by the infinite variety of nature and its boundless capacity for renewal, artists today show us how to forge a more equitable connection with the earth
In conversation with Anubhav Nath, founder of Ojas Art, on the collaboration with Sarmaya and the vitality of indigenous art