A Herd of Elephants under a Tree in Gond by Suresh Kumar Dhruve

This striking Gond painting by Suresh Kumar Dhruve depicts a slender, soaring tree that provides both shade and nourishment to a herd of five elephants, against a warm yellow background.

Gond art is a traditional Indian tribal art form practiced by the Gond community of Madhya Pradesh, acting as cultural memory and often depicting local deities, folklore, forests and animals that the community lived alongside. It is deeply connected to nature, with animals, trees, birds, rivers symbolising balance and coexistence.

A distinctive feature of the artwork is the tree’s perfectly circular canopy, which glows with an inner orange hue, resembling a sun or a ripening fruit. The leaves on the branches of this canopy are divided into distinct color zones of red, deep blue and green, suggesting the changing seasons and the diverse life cycles contained within a single tree.

At the base of the trunk, the interaction of the elephants adds a narrative layer of playfulness and collective effort. To the left of the trunk, three elephants are depicted standing together, as one of them stretches its trunk toward the lower edge of the canopy.

To the right, two elephants stand in a more grounded posture, their trunks gently curving toward the trunk of the tree, emphasizing a sense of touch and belonging. Each elephant is adorned with horizontal bands of alternating colors filled with rhythmic, dashed patterns that mimic the texture of thick hide while maintaining the painting's overall geometric harmony.

The tree is firmly anchored by a prominent root system, reflecting the Gond belief in balance that for a life to reach high, it must be deeply rooted in the earth. The elephants are not merely under the tree, they are part of its ecosystem, illustrating an ecological unity where the forest is a generous provider and the inhabitants are its grateful beneficiaries.

The artist has made use of his signature patterns “sidi-pidhi dar-pdhi” (a series of dashes, representing an art that has been passed on from one generation to another), "ghisni" (textures created by rubbing on paper using fingers or the thumb) and “gol dharti” (circles with dots inside, the circles representing the earth and the dot symbolizes living beings as just a small part of the bigger whole). This highlights the role of the artist and the community, interdependence and the importance of the environment in the Gond tradition, which is put forth in such visual art.

Each of our artworks are hand painted by master artists across India. We provide a digital authentication certificate with this artwork signed by the artist which will be sent over email after 3-4 days of delivery of the artwork.

View Sample Here

The sizes mentioned are excluding the borders of the artwork. Frames shown are for visual representation only and are not included with the artwork.

Customisation

Most artworks can be customised in terms of colours, size and elements to fit your requirements.

For custom artwork orders, please use the WhatsApp chat below or email us at wecare@memeraki.com to discuss your requirements in more detail.

Framing Services

No, we currently sell artworks unframed (unless explicitly mentioned otherwise) and do not provide framing services.

We ship worldwide.

Domestic Orders

All prices are inclusive of GST and applicable Indian taxes.

• We offer free shipping on orders above ₹1999 for all artworks, except Lippan, Terracotta and Thikri.
• A flat shipping rate of ₹499 applies to orders below ₹1999.

Lippan, Terracotta and Thikri

Shipping is charged on a per-kilogram basis, due to the delicate and bulky nature of these items.

International Orders

• A flat shipping charge of ₹4,000 applies to international artwork orders.
• Customs duties, taxes, or import charges in the buyer’s country are not included and must be borne by the buyer.
• Shipping rates for Lippan, Terracotta and Thikri artworks will be calculated based on weight.

Additonal Shipping Charges

Extra charges may be applicable for both domestic and international deliveries in the following cases:

• If the article requires additional packaging (such as a wooden crate) to ensure safe shipping due to its delicate nature.
• Custom-framed artworks.
• Artworks where shorter side exceeds 36 inches or Decor items with any side over 35 inches.
• If you request express shipping. Contact support to check availability.
• The order contains more than two different product types.

You can proceed with your purchase, and our team will contact you to confirm any applicable additional shipping charges before processing your order. Alternatively, reach out to us on WhatsApp or email, and we'll assist you in completing your purchase with the final pricing.

All artworks are handmade and couriered securely in transit safe packaging sutaible for the artwork.

This artwork will be Made to Order and will take 2-3 weeks to be made and shipped. Returns are not applicable on Made To Order artworks.

Once your order is placed, our team stays in constant communication with the artist to track the progress and ensure the quality of your order. You will receive regular updates from us throughout this process.

All MeMeraki artworks are hand-painted. In rare occasions, artist may face delays due to weather, health, prior commitments or force majeure. Our team will reach out to you with revised timelines in case of such delays. We appreciate your understanding and patience in such situations.

All artworks on the website are hand painted from scratch by our master artists. This makes every artwork absolutely unique and the actual colour and overall artwork may vary slightly from the artwork image posted here.