It’s summertime. If you reside in the northern belt of India, it can be an excruciatingly painful time, granted that you haven’t gotten used to the fiery pits of the weather. This is the perfect opportunity to visit your nearest mountains. For us, it’s Uttarakhand. But Uttarakhand is not only known for its cool climate, terrace farming, and abundant citrus, it is also known for its diverse native art forms. One of them is the Kumaoni Aipan art. It received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in September 2021.
Aipan Art of Uttarakhand
The Aipan art of Uttarakhand is a folk-ritualistic art form, often seen during household ceremonies and special events. It originated in Almora, Uttarakhand during the Chand dynasty, where it was mostly practised by upper-class Brahmin women. Aipan art in Hindi is called ‘ऐपण’ (Ēpaṇ). It comes from the Sanskrit word, ‘Lepana,’ which translates to ‘plaster.’ Despite being native to Kumaon, it was readily assimilated into the other cultures (due to community migration) albeit by different names. It is called ‘Muggu’ & ‘Bhuggul’ (Andhra Pradesh), ‘Rangoli’ (Gujarat & Maharashtra), ‘Alpana’ (Orissa), and many more names in diverse regions.
This folk art has been extremely commercialised now, with keychains, posters, art pieces (such as Sapna Kuniyal’s), clothes, and other household items plastered with the Aipan Art of Uttarakhand. Even the government has taken multiple initiatives to promote and preserve the art form, for example, Cheli Aipan. In 2015, multiple Aipan art was commissioned by the Uttarakhand Government to be displayed in government offices, schools, and institutions.
Techniques of Kumaoni Aipan Art
Aipan art is mostly done on walls, floors, and thresholds of the temple room. It is also drawn on the ‘chowkis’ or the holy seat made of mango wood. It follows a matrilineal tradition. Hence, the art form is mostly done by Kumaoni women. The knowledge and teachings are passed down from mothers to daughters. The base of Aipan art will always be a brick-red colour, also known as ‘geru.’ Red is considered the colour of fortune and fertility. Using cooked rice paste or ‘bisvar,’ women draw geometrical, almost mandala-like patterns.
Kumaoni Aipan art will always begin and end with a dot. A dot is placed in the centre of the base. It signifies the centre of creation from which stems life in the form of surrounding patterns, ‘vasudhara’ (lines), and other designs. ‘Swastikas’ are also common in the Aipan art of Uttarakhand, as they supposedly represent all the gods and goddesses in the Hindu pantheon. At present, the art form uses red and white synthetic acrylic paints.
Making Aipan Art of Uttarakhand
Traditional Kumaoni Aipan art begins by cleaning the surface and sprinkling a solution of cow dung and water around the area. Cowdung is considered auspicious in the Hindu belief system. Next, the ‘geru’ paste is layered on the surface (doors, thresholds, floors) in rectangles, squares, or triangles. With the last three fingers of their hands, they dip the fingers in the rice paste and move their hands freely to draw the designs. The ‘bisvar’ paste must be of the right consistency; neither too thick nor too thin. To fasten the process, they would seldom use a ‘kuppi’ — a cotton cloth tied to a stick — to draw the intricate designs.
Aipan Art Designs
The motifs in the art form depict the practitioner’s beliefs (gods, goddesses, swastika, goddess’ footprints) and are inspired by nature (creepers, flowers, conch shells). It is believed that a home clad in Aipan art brings good fortune and deters evil. It is most often seen during Hindu festivals, as a large part of its residents practice Hinduism. These include Mahashivratri, Saraswati Puja, Makar Sankranti, and more. Let’s take a look at a few popular Aipan art designs and their significance.
1. Saraswati Chowki
This Aipan art is designed on a ‘chowki’ as a seat of the goddess Saraswati. It is usually performed before a child starts school. At the centre is a five-pointed star in addition to either a swastika, lotus flower, or a ‘diya.’ Other wavy and floral patterns are drawn around it.
2. Chamunda Hast Chowki
It is often used in ‘havan’ or ‘yagya.’ In this Aipan art design, two triangles separated by overlapping diagonal lines are drawn in the centre along with the five-pointed star. Goddess Laxmi’s feet and floral patterns encircle it. The circle is composed of eight lotus petals.
3. Nav Durga Chowki
This Kumaoni Aipan art design is mostly seen during ‘Navaratri.’ It starts with nine dots symbolising the nine avatars of the goddess. A square bounds these dots, adorned with lotus petals.
4. Janeyu Chowki
The Janeyu chowki is made during the sacred thread ceremony. This Aipan art design features seven stars as its centre, enclosed by a hexagon. The stars represent the fabled ‘sapt rishis.’ Around the hexagon are myriad floral patterns filled with dots.
5. Dhuli Arghya Chowki
This Kumaoni Aipan art is a must during a wedding. The bridegroom is seated on this ‘chowki.’ The stool carries the motifs of a tree with three branches reminiscent of a pitcher carrying Lord Shiva’s trident. God Brahma is depicted at the bottom, while Lord Vishnu is at the centre. On the sides are two parrots. At the bottom is a swastika and a lotus flower.
6. Jyoti Patta
The Jyoti Patta Aipan art design is drawn on plywood, paper, and hardboard, especially on the wedding day. The top row depicts the Himalayas, followed by a few lines of floral & geometrical patterns. The last row features the mythical ‘Kalpavriksha,’ with two lotuses on either side and two parrots at the bottom. The centre carries the motifs of Radha-Krishna, Ganesh-Riddhi, or the bride-groom.
7. Laxmi Yantra
The Laxmi Yantra, often made on the floor during Diwali is a requisite for every Kumaoni home. The centre is marked with a flower or a dot. It is bounded by two upside-down triangles, akin to the Star of David. The upper triangle represents Shiva whereas the lower refers to ‘Shakti.’ The triangles are lined with six, eight, or sixteen lotus flowers. This is enclosed within a square, referred to as the four doors, each lined with the footprint motif. Two seats are depicted at the bottom of this Yantra.
Image Courtesy – iTokri
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