Sohrai Art

29.07.2025

Sohrai Art

Context:
 Sohrai painting from Jharkhand gained national attention during Kala Utsav 2025 at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, where the President of India praised it as a true reflection of India’s cultural essence.

What is Sohrai?
 

• Sohrai is a tribal wall-painting tradition practiced by the Santhal, Munda, and Oraon communities of Jharkhand. Women artists decorate the earthen walls of their homes using naturally sourced colors and hand-crafted tools, continuing a custom rooted deeply in rural life and rituals.
• This art is created around the time of the harvest season,

Notable Features of Sohrai Art:

• Themes from Nature:
   The artwork illustrates animals, birds, foliage, and village life, expressing harmony with the environment and the rhythms of agricultural society.
   
• Use of Natural Colors:
   Artists rely on locally available materials like red earth, white clay, black stone powder, and yellow soil, making the practice eco-friendly and sustainable.
   
• Traditional Instruments:
   Instead of modern brushes, women use bamboo twigs, chewed sticks, and pieces of cloth to apply the pigments.
   
• Women-Centric Tradition:
   Passed from one generation of women to another, the art reflects the role of women as cultural carriers and creators.
   
• Tied to Rituals:
   These murals are more than decoration—they mark spiritual occasions, celebrate the land's fertility, and show gratitude for livestock and harvests.
   

conclusion:

Sohrai art represents an enduring connection between people, land, and spirituality. It embodies eco-conscious living, oral heritage, and feminine expression. Through symbolic designs and seasonal rhythms, it keeps alive a centuries-old way of seeing and celebrating the world.