Reviving Art

Artist Lakhichand Jain is adding a new lease of life to Mandana, a Rajasthani folk art form of paintings, says Anita IyerMandana paintings are gradually losing signifiance, as we no longer have mud walls and earthen homes to adorn them with this folk art. But Mandana artist Lakhichand Jain is working to give a new lease of life to Mandana and rejuvenate the dying art form. Many people are not aware of this Rajasthani folk art form of painting. Mandana is found in areas like Bundi, Kota, Tonk, Sawai Madhopur districts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Malwa, Nimar and Tanwarghar regions of Madhya Pradesh. The word Mandana is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Mandan’, which means ‘to invent’.

“My mission is to give Mandana a mainstream recognition and global accreditation. The only way to preserve such a custom is by developing it through unique ways, modern techniques and different media. Mandana has its own language which has to be comprehended to gauge the depth of its various aspects”, he says.

Mandana paintings can be divided into two forms depending on their content- Vallari Pradhan and Akriti Pradhan. The Vallari pradhan consists of floral patterns where lotus is given more importance, animals like elephant, camel, peacock, birds etc. The other form Akriti Pradhan includes geometrical forms and represents essentials of nature like triangle (fire), square (earth), circle (water), dot (ether) crescent-curve line (air).

Traditionally the Vallari Pradhan are drawn only on the walls, whereas Akriti Pradhan can be drawn anywhere from walls, windows, doors, entrance etc. varying anywhere between two to ten feet. Mandana paintings are an expression of the artist’s inclination to welcome the gods into the house. It is considered inauspicious to keep the entrance of the home empty during festive occasions so Mandana was drawn to pull in positive energy. It was also believed that Mandana protects and wards off evil. “This art is closely related to the science of vastu, beauty, holy charms and spiritualism, etc. It is necessary to go right into the depth of this art, its symbolism.. in order to understand its soul”, Says Mr. Lakhichand Jain

In Mandana paintings, lines are used extensively, as a connection of lines gives birth to art. For making this painting on the floors of the house, a mixture of brick and cow-dung is applied on the floor and left to dry. Later, a small strip of cloth is dipped in the colour and the cloth is pressed between the palms to let the colour flow through the ring finger. It requires a lot of skill to draw thick and thin lines from the same amount of colour and fingers. Lakhichand Jain, who has learnt this art form from his grand mother says, “It is a tradition to sit in a place and complete the piece sitting for 10 hours at a stretch. Also as fingers are generally used to make this art, at the end of the session the tip of the finger wears off. That is the real test of patience of an artist and his dedication to this art. Also one needs to concentrate completely while drawing because mistakes cannot be amended or corrected”.

Paintings were also made using bamboo brushes to draw the lines. This unique brush was made from bamboo sticks with cotton stuck at one end. For painting, this cotton end is to be dipped in natural colours like yellow sand, brown sand, chalk powder and used.

Lakhichand Jain is also planning a project ‘Mandana on wheels’ whereby Mandana paintings will be displayed in different parts of India. Also he is writing a book on the philosophy of Mandana. “There is a need to create awareness about this art form as not many people know about it. I would love to see Mandana as one of the identities of India and contribute to it economically”.

Artistic welcome.

Even owing to the space constraints today, people still follow the traditional method of drawing rangolis, says Anita Iyer.

The art of rangoli has come a long way from use of natural dyes to rollers with designs drilled on their surface and even the rangoli stickers but the significance of rangolis made from rice flour still continues. These rangoli stickers are just an alternate to the original rangoli owing to the limited space available outside each house. These rangoli substitutes do not have any positive effects as the powdered ones.

The colours used in rangolis are absorbed by the eyes, skin and skull and our electro-magnetic field. The energy of colour influences our physical, spiritual and emotional being. The different colours used in rangoli have an optimistic affect on the individuals. Dr. Taparia says, “The electromagnetic waves released from human body are attracted to the colours of the rangoli. They change the aura of our body and create positive energy within us”.

It is a profound branch of knowledge and includes many facets. He further adds, “Designs to be made in rangolis differ for person to person. The designs and patterns of the rangoli are made according to the aura of a person. If anybody seeks wealth, the pattern is different from the person seeking happiness”.

Rangolis including floral patterns or geometric figures with use of colours forms an important part of our Indian culture. These symmetrical designs not only decorate the entrance of the house but also have other benefits like warding off the evil influences. Rangoli patterns are believed to invite the forces of prosperity and bring fortune in the home and bestow the family with success. It is assumed that rangoli possess a lot of health benefits like the sitting posture used to make rangoli is supposed to improve the digestive system and reproductive organs and also serves as an overall stretching exercise for the body daily.

The word rangoli is derived from the words rang (colour) and aavalli ('row of colours'). India is known for its hospitality and rangolis are basically designs and patterns made near the entrance to a house to welcome guests. In traditional times, it was assumed as rangoli powder was made only from holy turmeric and kumkum, it brought harmony to the person who crossed it and entered the house.

However, there are even other aspects to the concept of drawing rangoli on the entrance. Like Ananth Laxmi, an 80year old south Indian says, “It is a part of south Indian culture to draw rangolis on the door step before the sun rise. It was the duty of the eldest lady member of the family although many young girls also got engaged later. These design were made to invite Goddess Lakshmi - the Goddess of prosperity in our homes. Also it is a part of Hindu scriptures to feed the animals, rangoli powder made of rice flour, the main idea is to feed the ants and birds”.

In the primitive ages, the designs and patterns of rangoli were inspired by nature so animal and plant figures were drawn. Even the colours then were derived from barks of trees, leaves, indigo, etc. But today, synthetic dyes are used to create a range of bright colours.

There are various types of rangoli depending on the pattern and the elements used and also it is known by different names in different regions of India. Like Alpana in Bengal is made from powdered colors (produced from dried leaves), charcoal, burnt earth, grains while Kolam in South India is made rice paste. The other include Aripana in Bihar, Madana in Rajasthan, Rangoli in Gujarat, Karnataka and Maharashtra, Chowkpurana in Uttar Pradesh, and Muggu in Andhra Pradesh.

Pratibha Karandikar, member of Sanskar Bharti, an association, which has been striving to restore Indian cultural values says, “Rangoli is a symbol of purity and creates an aura of auspiciousness for that occasion. Rangoli also symbolizes unity as people gather together to make rangoli and also useful in improving concentration. Different colours signify different qualities like green symbolizes calmness and red is used extensively in rangolis because it is considered auspicious according to Hindu scriptures”.

Mrs. Sneha Sawant, who has been conducting rangoli workshops for the past 10 years says, “By making rangoli on the entrance of the house, it is believed that family members who go out crossing the rangoli come back safely”. The latest trend in rangoli is ‘The Theme based Rangoli’ based on the Indian festivals. Like for Janmastami, the theme used would be dahi handi. Mrs. Sawant also boosts of many foreign clientele who are coming forward to learn the art of rangoli to know more about Indian culture.

Five minutes of fame!

Money and fame in Bollywood may be short-lived and hard to come by, but this does not deter youngsters who are willing to begin as nobodies, says Anita Iyer

The glamorous world of Bollywood attracts many Indian youth, and thousands of youngsters come to Mumbai, the land of opportunity, in the hope of becoming stars. Many believe that they can eventually make it big if they are a part of Bollywood even in a small way, as dancers in a group, overshadowed by the lead actors. Actors like Arshad Warsi and Shahid Kapoor, who are well-known faces in the industry today, had made their debut in cinebiz as dancers.

While fame is a great temptation, it is also the quick money that lures teenagers into the profession, and they often drop out of college in the process, despite the fact that there is no longevity in this career. Rupali Yeramkar who has been in this field for the past two to three years and has worked with some of the top choreographers in the film industry says, "We get paid around 2,500-3,000 for a 12-hour shift. Sometimes when the shift gets extended we get paid extra for it. For performing in shows, we get paid about 5,000-6,000 per entry, which is not at all bad".

At the cost of earning fast money, Indian youngsters are often willing to make compromises with culture and values. Sharon D'Souza, who dances with a troupe, says: "Often, we have to wear certain clothes, with which we are not comfortable. These days the performers behind the stars are bound to wear skimpy sexy clothes that reveal their bodies. If the producer or choreographer demands something, we have to give in. We have no say regarding the outfits and have to compromise just for the sake of being able to survive in this field".

Many of these youngsters flock outside the Dancer's Association daily to avail the much-needed membership. Paresh Shirokar says: "Entering in this field needs a lot of investment as you need to acquire membership in the dancer's association. Without the membership card, dancers are not allowed to perform before the camera. A payment of Rs. 51,000 for girls and Rs. 1,25,000 for boys needs to be made to become a member of the association. Youngsters who cannot afford it find some means to collect the required amount". Of course, there are no guarantees of success despite this; with the tough competition that youngsters face, survival also depends on talent and the ability to be tough.

Saroj Khan, the well-known Bollywood choreographer says, "It totally depends on an individual's talent. If he possesses it, he can, of course, make it big some day. Every field has its own struggle and so does this profession. It takes time to establish yourself. However, I have seen many of my kids growing and making it big in movies and television serials".

There are other pitfalls. For one thing, the contract system is very crude. If you have signed a contract with any choreographer, you need to stick by him or her and perform only with this choreographer till the contract expires. If the choreographer gets a show or a break it's fine but if he or she does not, even the performers are left jobless. This results in a great deal of frustration and exploitation, and since the concept of a permanent job is absent, performers often move from one choreographer to another once the contract has expired.

Jaggi Gupta, a photojournalist from Mumbai who has been a close observer of this field, says: "This whole profession is cheap and dirty. Crowds of performers wait for hours outside the Dancer's Association to be picked up for a day's assignment. They are more or less like daily wage earners who earn on a daily basis. But for the ones who have established themselves, it is easy sailing".

As is well known, however, in the showbiz industry everything is short-lived. As Rupali Yeramkar points out: "You are in demand and wanted only till a certain age. Once you have lost the body, age and grace you are nowhere. There is no surety in this field and for girls who get into it, it is very difficult to find an alternate career later".