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India is a land of diverse cultures and communities, rooted in their specific set of beliefs. These beliefs reflect in the traditional, folk and tribal art forms of India. India is home to many tribal communities, existing in forested, rural and even urban areas, maintaining a close connection to nature and holding on to their traditional knowledge systems, keeping their philosophy and lifestyle alive. Each community and region has their own set of myths, be it cosmological myths associated with the creation of the universe to religious myths surrounding their local gods and goddesses, each narrative is influenced by their surroundings and nature, shaping their belief systems and culture.
Many tribal cultures have their distinct art forms, practised as a medium for expression, storytelling, rituals, worship, or just to share their views with the world outside. India's tribal art is a vibrant combination woven of nature, ancient myths and profound meaning. Far from being mere decorations, these intricate artworks serve as powerful narratives, preserving the rich cultural heritage and spiritual beliefs of indigenous communities across the subcontinent. From the rhythmic Warli paintings of Maharashtra to the elaborate Gond art of Madhya Pradesh, each brushstroke, every motif and all the chosen colors tell a story deeply rooted in the environment and the timeless wisdom passed down through generations. This blog aims to explore how nature inspires, myths inform and meaning permeates the extraordinary world of Indian tribal art.
Gond
The Goddess Dasahi Mata, is worshipped by the Gond community, especially during Chaitra Navratri, and is associated with bringing prosperity, fertility and good luck. The rituals for her worship involve sprouting of Jowar or barley, symbolising agricultural fertility. The Gonds, being a predominantly agricultural community, worship the Goddess for a good crop, and associate her with the fertility of the Earth. The entire process of planting, nurturing and immersing the barley sprouts during her worship symbolizes the profound cycle of life, death and rebirth, as well as the victory of good over evil.
Goddess in Gond: Mata Dasahi in Gond by Venkat Shyam
The Gonds have a deep and profound relationship with the tiger, not just as a creature of the forest, but as a revered deity. This reverence is reflected in their myths and the practice of worshipping a Tiger God.The most prominent name for the Gond tiger deity is Bagh Deo or Baghdev. Other names like Waghoba in Maharashtra and Bagheshwar are also used by the Gonds and other central Indian tribes. Bagh Deo is primarily seen as the protector of the forest and the villagers who live within or near it, and Shrines dedicated to him are commonly found outside Gond villages, typically marked by a simple stone or wooden idol, sometimes painted with the image of a tiger, often placed under a large tree. The worship of Bagh Deo reflects the Gond people's ancient understanding and practice of coexisting with tigers and leopards. They believe that by appeasing the Tiger God through offerings like sacrificial animals (like goats or chickens) and fermented alcoholic beverages made from Mahua flowers, they can prevent attacks on themselves and their livestock. In the below paintings, he is depicted as a divine being with the five senses and multiple heads.
The Tiger God: A Cosmic World of Five Senses in Gond Painting by Venkat Shyam
Five Great Elements of Nature: Tiger in Gond by Venkat Shyam
Bada Dev is the most significant deity in the Gond pantheon, revered as the Supreme God and Creator for many Gond communities. He is considered the ultimate authority, responsible for the creation of the world and all living beings. The Gond creation myth details his role in shaping the earth from primordial clay, with the help of a crow and a giant earthworm and later providing humanity with trees and the means for agriculture. His worship, often involving animal sacrifices and Mahua liquor offerings, typically takes place under sacred trees or at simple shrines, ensuring the community's well-being and a bountiful harvest. According to the belief of the Gond tribal people, Badadev hides in the saja tree and he descends from there to accept the Gond offerings. The painting is made in a belief that the trees rise towards the sky and connect themselves to the gods. Here we can see Badadev depicted in the form of a tree itself, with the branches of trees and peacocks merging with him.
Badadev Pakshi: Gond Art by Venkat Shyam
Lord Bhivsen is the tribal god of the mountains, hills and rivers, one of the popular tribal gods amongst the Gond people. He is thought to be the reincarnated form of Lord Shiva and is worshipped as an embodiment of strength in nature, in the form of an irregular rock, which is believed to be a relic of the god.
Lord Bhivsen, Gond painting by Santosh Uikey
The Gond have goddesses like Mata Mahrelin Dai and Van Devi associated with the nature and forests around them, acting like a guardian spirit.
Mata mahrelin dai Gond by Sukhiram Maravi
Goddess of Forest (Van Devi) in Gond by Venkat Shyam
In Gond tradition, fish hold deep symbolic meaning, representing life, fertility and abundance, often embodying river goddesses and underscoring the tribe's belief in the harmony of nature. Beyond their symbolic value, fish are a practical source of food and livelihood for many Gond communities. This profound connection is vibrantly expressed in Gond art, where fish are a popular motif, depicted as a reflection of their sacred and vital role in the Gond worldview.
School of Fishes: The Marine Cosmos in Gond Art by Venkat Shyam
In Gond tradition, water bodies are linked to powerful spirits and deities, reflecting the tribe's deep reverence for and dependence on natural elements. The Gonds believe that rivers themselves are sacred, cosmic pathways rippling with geometry and teeming with gods, fish spirits and celestial serpents, highlighting a broader animistic belief where the spirit resides within the natural phenomenon itself. This profound connection to water as a life-sustaining and spiritually charged force is consistently celebrated in their art and folklore.
Guardians of Nature: Water Spirit in Gond by Venkat Shyam
According to a Gond legend, thousands of years ago, the king of the tribal community would engage in warfare and often appeared riding on a flying horse which possessed magical powers and helped the king to succeed in his goal. This folk story is depicted in the below painting.
Gond Myth, Gond painting by Santosh Uikey
In Gond tradition, Hiran Pakshi is a phrase describing the harmonious relationship between deer (hiran) and birds (pakshi). Deer symbolize grace, gentleness and divinity, often depicted alongside the Tree of Life to show their interdependence with nature. Birds, on the other hand, represent freedom, eternity, and natural balance. Together, Hiran Pakshi in Gond art embodies the tribe's deep respect for nature, their belief in the interconnectedness of all living things, and the idea that viewing such harmonious depictions brings good fortune.
Deer and Peacocks: Nature's Beauty and Harmony in Gond by Saroj Venkat Shyam
The Saja tree is paramount in Gond tradition, believed to be the sacred dwelling of Bara Deo, the supreme creator god, making it a vital site for worship and rituals embodying spiritual connection. Its cultural significance extends to inspiring the 'Bana' musical instrument, further intertwining it with Gond lore and ancestral history.
The Mahua tree is a Tree of Life for the Gonds, providing food, medicine and income from its versatile parts, especially its flowers, which are fermented into a sacred liquor essential for rituals. It symbolizes abundance, resilience and a deep, harmonious bond with nature, with myths even linking the first Gond to its presence.
Tree of Life: Intertwined Branches in Gond by Venkat Shyam
Saura
Saura paintings are distinctive murals created by the Saura tribe of Odisha, traditionally painted on the red clay walls of their homes as a form of spiritual worship to appease deities and ancestors. In the worldview of the Saura tribe, the divine is not distant, it is intimate, patterned and ever-present. Their chief deity, Idital, does not dwell in temple or scripture but emerges in the rhythmic circles of their wall art. Saura paintings, born as offerings to Idital, become portals to the mythic - trees bloom with ancestral memory, animals stride with symbolic force and celestial bodies pulse with ritual harmony. Through these visual hymns, Idital is not only remembered but reawakened in homes and events with each stroke of sacred pigment.
Grandeur of Saura: Celebrating Colorful Tribal Village Life by Apindra Swain
Bhil
For the Bhil people, the Tree of Life is a central and recurring motif in their paintings. This tree symbolizes growth, proliferation, regeneration, and the inexhaustible abundance of life, often reflecting immortality and the cyclic nature of existence. It acts as a unifying factor and a source of life in nature, providing shelter for numerous birds and other creatures. In their rituals, the tree is seen as a point of contact reaching out to the beyond, facilitating the release of an ancestor's soul to rest with God. These artistic and spiritual depictions highlight the Bhils' deep reverence for nature and their belief that everything in it is alive, connected and sacred.
Tree of life Bhil art by Shersingh Bhabor
Warli
The Palash tree (flame of the forest) holds significant cultural and symbolic meaning in Warli tradition, particularly due to its striking, fiery orange-red blossoms. The red color extracted from Palash flowers is sometimes used in Warli paintings to depict the existence of deities or to symbolize departed souls, connecting the tree to spiritual realms. Blooming in spring, the Palash tree's presence is also linked to the celebration of Holi, with its flowers traditionally used to make natural dyes. In Warli art, the Palash tree often symbolizes fertility, abundance, and the triumph of vibrant life with its branches forming a dance of life against the characteristic white figures, reflecting the Warli tribe's profound connection to nature and their cyclical understanding of existence.
Tree of Palash: Warli painting by Anil Wangad
In Warli tradition, Dharatri Mata is revered as the Earth Goddess, a central and highly significant deity. She is fundamental to the Warli worldview, symbolizing fertility, life and sustenance. As an agricultural tribe, the Warli people deeply understand their reliance on the earth, and Dharatri Mata embodies this essential connection. Her image is often found as the central motif in their ritualistic paintings, particularly within the sacred chowk (square), which represents a consecrated space. These depictions, typically rendered in white on a red ochre background, portray her as the nurturing mother who sustains all creatures and connects every aspect of nature and tribal life, from mountains and water to plants, animals, humans, the sun and the moon. Worship of Dharatri Mata is crucial for ensuring good harvests, prosperity and the overall well-being of the community.
Dhartari (The earth goddess): Warli painting by Anil Wangad
Dhartari Mata, Earth Goddess: Warli Painting by Anil Wangad
Dhartari: Warli painting by Anil Wangad
Dhartari Mata: Warli Painting by Anil Wangad
Panchshirya Dev, the five-headed god, holds a significant place in Warli tradition as a deity primarily associated with healing, health, and protection. His presence underscores the Warli people's focus on well-being and averting illness. The five heads symbolize his all-encompassing power to watch over and safeguard the community from various ailments and misfortunes. Warli rituals involving Panchshirya Dev aim to invoke his protective energies to maintain health and ensure the prosperity of the tribe, reflecting their deep connection to the spiritual forces that govern their lives.
Panchshirya Dev: Warli painting by Anil Wangad
In Warli tradition, Dev Pan is a sacred grove or open-air shrine dedicated to village deities and ancestral spirits. Located on the village outskirts or near natural features like groves or hills, it serves as a spiritual center where the community gathers for rituals, festivals, and offerings to deities such as Palghat. Deeply tied to nature, the Dev Pan reflects the Warli people's animistic beliefs, ecological reverence, and communal identity, and is often symbolically represented in Warli paintings through sacred trees and ritual scenes.
Dev pan: Warli painting by Anil Wangad
In Warli tradition, the Tiger God Waghoba is a revered forest deity symbolizing both fear and protection. Worshipped to guard against tiger attacks and ensure the safety of cattle and villagers, Waghoba is usually represented by a stone or terracotta idol placed near forest edges or under sacred trees. Rituals and offerings are made to appease him, reflecting the Warli people's deep respect for nature and their belief in living in harmony with wild animals.
Tiger God: Warli painting by Anil Wangad
In Warli tradition, Belvat Kanya is a forest goddess associated with fertility, vegetation and the well-being of women and children. Often worshipped during agricultural and fertility rites, she embodies the nurturing aspects of nature. Belvat refers to the sacred bel tree and Kanya means maiden or girl, indicating her role as a youthful, benevolent spirit tied to the forest’s life-giving force. She is offered prayers and symbolic offerings to ensure good harvests, safe childbirth, and protection from disease, reflecting the Warli community’s reverence for feminine nature spirits and ecological balance.
Mandana
Mandana art is a traditional Indian folk art, primarily practiced in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, featuring intricate wall and floor paintings. It is deeply rooted in the culture of the Meena and Bhil tribal communities, with women traditionally creating these designs. Mandana art is believed to bring good luck, ward off evil spirits, and is often associated with auspicious occasions like weddings, festivals, and childbirth. In Mandana art, Lakshmi Chowks are drawn on the floor as a seat or asana for Goddess Lakshmi, often used during rituals and ceremonies for Diwali, Navratri, Grihapravesh or housewarming and weddings. They are made up of various yantra symbols like triangles, circles, etc., meant to invite prosperity, protect the home from negative energies, symbolically offer space to the divine feminine - Lakshmi, as Shakti and ensure that the home is cosmically aligned through sacred geometry. The below painting depicts Lakshmi's divine footprints, a symbol of her auspicious entry into the home, bringing prosperity and blessings.
Ethereal Goddess Lakshmi Footprint in Mandana by Vidya Soni
Mata ni Pachedi
Mata ni Pachedi is a sacred textile art form originating from the Vaghri tribe of Gujarat, India, This art form, meaning "behind the mother goddess" in Gujarati was developed by the Vaghri tribe as portable cloth shrines for worshipping the mother goddess when they were historically barred from entering temples due to their social status. Their textiles depict a wide range of goddesses with their vahanas, portraying their beliefs rooted in myths and nature.
The below painting depicts the legend of Visat Mata. The story begins in a dried lake, where a helpless buffalo sinks into the mud, symbolizing earthly suffering. Despite warnings and divine restraint, Parvati chooses empathy over fate, merging her essence with the buffalo to birth a sacred presence upon the Earth. From this act of boundless compassion arises Vishat Mata, a powerful embodiment of Adhyashakti, the primordial feminine force.
Vishat Mata in Mata ni pachedi by Bhanu Bhai Chittara
This painting shows Meladi Maa, known as a protector of farmland and a fierce deity who vanquishes evil and grants wishes. Legends describe her birth from the dirt on Goddess Uma's hands after Uma fought a demon named Amruva, who hid in a dead cow's skin, an impure place Uma could not touch. Meldi Mata is often depicted with eight arms, holding various weapons, and riding a black goat as her vahana.
Meldi Mata Mata Ni Pachedi By Sanjay Chitara For Home Decor
This painting depicts the resplendent Hadksha Mata at the heart, flanked by the graceful Vahanvati Mata and the fierce Jogni Mata on their celestial boats, drifting on the cascade of a waterfall.
Hadaksha Maa, also known as Hadkai Mata, symbolizes protection against rabies, especially for people and livestock. Her iconography includes a dog as her vahana, reflecting the prevalent issue of rabies in the region's villages and towns.
Vahanavati Maa, also known as Sikotar Mata, is revered as the guardian deity of villages and the sea, believed to protect sailors and ensure safe voyages. This is the legend behind her being named Vahanavati Maa - A merchant named Jagdusa who, after nearly losing his ships at sea due to neglecting a vow to the goddess, apologized to Sikotar Mata, who then saved his vessels,
Jogani Mata is a fierce goddess, revered as a village guardian deity. She is known for her power to both create and destroy, symbolizing the dual nature of Shakti.
Hadksha Mata Mata Ni Pachedi By Sanjay Chitara For Home Decor
Bahuchar Mata, the goddess of fertility and chastity, is revered as the patroness of the hijra community. Her vahana, the cock symbolises innocence
Bahuchar Mata Mata Ni Pachedi By Bhanu Bhai Chitara For Home Decor
Dasha Mata, also known as Momai Mata, is worshipped as the deity responsible for agriculture, with a camel as her vahana.
Dasha Matas Blessings Mata Ni Pachedi By Sanjay Chitara For Home Decor
Khodiyar mata, with a crocodile as her vahana, is believed to be able to foretell monsoon patterns.
Khodiyaar Matas Elegant Grace Mata Ni Pachedi By Sanjay Chitara For Home Decor
Kutchi embroidery and applique work
The Meghwal tribe of Kutch, Gujarat use embroidery and applique work to spread their stories to the world, depicting animals as a part of their pastoralist subsistence pattern, migratory history. As per legends, they trace back their lineage to ‘Megh’ rishi, a sage known for rain worship, highlighting the community's ancient spiritual practices. The legend is as follows - There is a traditional story that talks about the origin of the Meghwal tribe that is as follows : “In Matang Rishi’s time there was one Rishi, named Megh Rishi or also known as Mamaydev. At that time, one of Brahmins had conflict of interest with the king, so he cursed him that there will be no rain in his kingdom for 7 years. So, the king gave orders that people should save water for drinking. All reservoirs were guarded by his soldiers. One day a person was found taking a bath in the lake. Soldiers caught him and took him to the king’s court. The king asked him, “Don’t you know there will be no rain for 7 years?” to which the person responded saying that this year there will be heavy rainfall. No one believed him. He said, I am going to the peak of Girnar mountain for austerity. After that, it rains for 7 days. The entire kingdom was flooded; the king went to apologize for not believing him. The Rishi said, “I have called the clouds but I don’t have power to send them back. For that you must call “Dhedh”, and from then he came to be known as Meghwal.”
Owing to this connection, most of their work displays clouds and rain as motifs.
Tribal life in Kutch embroidery by Kala Raksha
Patch Work Embroidery in Kutch by Kala Raksha
Daily Life Artwork in Kutch Embroidery by Kala Raksha
Thus, tribal art in India is not merely an aesthetic tradition, it is a living, breathing embodiment of cultural memory, ecological reverence and mythic imagination. Each line drawn, each color chosen and every figure portrayed is an insight into a community’s soul, a testament to its ancestral wisdom, spiritual cosmology and lived environment. Whether it is the sacred trees, animals, local deities and natural spirits, these visual expressions go beyond visual beauty to encapsulate deep philosophical truths about harmony, fertility, protection and the sacred interconnectedness of all life. Rooted in ritual and a strong interconnectedness with nature, tribal art continues to keep ancient beliefs alive, reminding us that in the hands of these artists, myths are not relics of the past, but tools to navigate the present and envision the future. In preserving and celebrating these art forms, we honour not just their artistic skills and mastery but also the worldview of communities who continue to live in sync with nature and spirit.
References
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- Chauhan, Abhimanyu. “The Warli Tribe and Their Sacred Groves: Ecology in Aesthetic Expression.” Tribal Studies Quarterly 12, no. 1 (2020): 45–59.
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