SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Aug 16: A statewide online painting workshop of Jharkhand’s traditional folk art forms Sohrai and Paitkar was organized by the state forest department to mark Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav on Monday.
The paintings of seven participants, who belong to Hazaribagh and Jamshedpur, were selected and received appreciation from the organizers for their artistic skill, imagination and presentation.
Malo Devi, Rudan Devi, Parvati Devi, Anita Devi (all of Hazaribagh), Kishore Gayan, Ganesh Gayan and Subhash Chitrakar (all of Jamshedpur) were the artists who stole the limelight in the day-long online workshop organized for the first time to mark the auspicious day.
Sohrai and Paitkar are traditional forms of Jharkhand’s folk art in which artists use natural colour-made clay, stones, leaves and flowers to create paintings. The artists of Hazaribagh are famous for Sohrai painting and Jamshedpur’s artists are considered experts in Paitkar art.
Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (APCCF) of state Sanjiv Kumar said that there were twin aims of organizing the statewide online workshop on Sohrai and Paitkar painting. The first was to mark Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and the second was to revive the spirit of artists of Jharkhand’s traditional arts after the Covid setback.
“Folk art of Jharkhand is related to nature and it keeps significance in giving messages to people for nature’s conservation. Moreover, folk art also reflects the culture of Jharkhand,” said Sanjiv Kumar who is carrying on the campaign for the promotion of folk artists and preservation of art in the state.
Before the Corona pandemic, till 2019, the folk art painting workshop was a regular event in the state. Dhanbad, Hazaribagh and Jamshedpur have organized Sohrai, Paitkar and Kohbar workshops which drew the attention of national and international artists.
In recent years, especially after the creation of Jharkhand as a separate state, this art has received a lot of attention and popularity, especially among youth. These art forms can be seen on walls on roadsides and in public places.
“Workshop presents the folk artists a stage to showcase their skill of painting for which Jharkhand is famous,” said Sanjiv Kumar.
