MeMeraki Blog

Decoding Kalamkari: Symbolism, Tradition, and the Indian Artistic Response

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Table of Contents What is Kalamkari? HISTORICAL CONTEXT Kalamkari VS What is Chintz? Chintz Key Difference in Simple Words SRIKALAHASTI KALAMKARI AND ITS MOTIFS Themes and Motifs: MACHILIPATNAM KALAMKARI AND...

By Neeyati Rometra

The Quiet Beauty of India’s Village Crafts

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Table of Contents Introduction Painting Traditions: When Walls Became Witnesses Madhubani: Geometry with a Soul Pattachitra & Phad: Stories That Travel Kalamkari: Where Cloth Became Canvas Pichwai & Kerala Murals:...

By Anushka Roy Bardhan

The Story of the Soil: How Warli Art Celebrates the Winter Harvest

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Table of Contents Introduction History of Warli Art Agriculture as the Central Theme Winter Harvest in Warli Painting Tarpa Dance and Community Celebration Warli Art and Agricultural Festivals in India...

By Anushka Roy Bardhan

War or protection? - Decoding the divine weapons in Indian art

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Table of Contents Introduction Ganesha Vishnu Shiva Kartikeya (Murugan / Skanda) Hanuman Durga Yama Saraswati Weapons in Buddhist art Conclusion Introduction Weapons in Sanskrit are called astra, explained using the...

By Zeel Sundhani

Beyond Ajrakh and Rogan: The Living Art Traditions of Kutch

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Table of Contents Beyond Ajrakh and Rogan: The Living Art Traditions of Kutch Lippan Kaam: Sculpting Memory on Earthen Walls Banni Embroidery: Mapping Identity Through Stitch Kharad Weaving: Textiles Born...

By Vanirathi Nathani

From Tree to Textile: Natural Fibers Used in Indian Tribal Crafts

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Table of Contents Introduction Forests as Looms: Plant-Based Fibers Cotton Before the Mill: Indigenous Cotton Traditions Animal Fibers and Pastoral Life Processing the Fiber: Knowledge Beyond the Loom Ritual, Symbolism,...

By Vanirathi Nathani

The variations of depictions of Shiva in different art forms from North to south India

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Introduction Shiva linga - the aniconic form Shiva in the anthropomorphic form Regional variations in depictions of Shiva in Indian art Introduction Shiva is one of the most complex and...

By Zeel Sundhani

Beyond Pattachitra: Lesser-Known Visual Art Forms of Odisha

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Table of Contents Introduction Talapatra Chitra: The Graphic Script of Myth and Memory Saura Painting: Tribal Visions in Mud and Earth Pipili Appliqué: Cloth as Visual Landscape Jhoti-Chita: Ephemeral Patterns...

By Vanirathi Nathani

Why Fish, Trees and Birds Appear Repeatedly in Tribal Art

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Table of Contents Introduction: Nature Is Not a Motif, It Is a Memory Fish: The Shape of Survival and Fertility Trees: The Architecture of Life and Ancestry Birds: Messengers Between...

By Vanirathi Nathani

From kites to fire to rice and back to the sun: Makara Sankranti across India

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Table of Contents Harvest, season and agrarian rhythm Different names, different ways of celebration Origins of Makar Sankranti: astronomy, epic memory and symbol The sun at the centre: worship, light...

By Zeel Sundhani

Chitrakathi Storytelling Tradition of India

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Table of Contents Pinguli Style Paithan Style Reviving an Ancient Legacy The term "Chitrakathi" encapsulates its essence, translating to "picture-story." The visual language of Chitrakathi draws from both mural traditions...

By MeMeraki Collaboration

When Time Matters More Than Beauty: Seasonal Art in Indian Villages

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Table of Contents Introduction Time as the First Rule Landscapes That Shape Expression Materials That Know When to Disappear Iconic Art Traditions Rooted in Village Life Shared Hands, Unspoken Skill...

By Anushka Roy Bardhan