Tribal flora, fauna come alive on Bastar walls

By Deepanwita Gita Niyogi

Many of us admire the wall paintings of Lodhi Art Colony in Delhi, but in faraway Bastar district of Chhattisgarh, murals executed in bright colours showcase the rich cultural heritage of a place yet unspoilt by modernity.

Nagpur-based architect Shivani Sharma who developed the Bastar Art Gallery said many painters and artists were involved in the paintings.

“Many sites were developed in Jagdalpur (district headquarters of Bastar) to attract tourists and the paintings add to the overall ambience of the city.”

The paintings here have been visualised by Bastar-based architect Nisha Bothra. “Extensive research was made before the paintings were created on walls,” Bothra who worked as the project architect said.

A tribal man is depicted on the wall of a residential building with a bow and arrow in his hand. The integration of human beings with nature has been depicted by the peacock symbolising a peaceful coexistence in tune with the Adivasi culture

Different kinds of facial expressions leap out of a wall in Jagdalpur, the district headquarters of Bastar. A visit to the scenic Dalpat Sagar lake in the city will guarantee visitors a glimpse of these paintings

The famous cock fight of Bastar has been depicted on the wall along with tribal musical instruments

A tribal man and a woman of Bastar. The district is known for its vibrant tribal culture

The depiction of the well-known bison horn dance performed by the Dandami Maria tribe of Bastar district

The paintings part of the district administration’s plan to develop the entire look and feel of Jagdalpur

In a place teeming with forest and wildlife, deer and birds come alive on walls at the Gadh Kalewa, a cultural space in Jagdalpur

Deers on a wall and the traditional tribal depiction of humans

A close up of a woman’s face

Another depiction of a male bison horn dancer. The dancers are a spectacle with their colourful attire and they wear the headgear made of bison horns