Sanjay Sen Gupta
School of Fine Arts, Amity University, Kolkata, India. ORCID: 0000-0003-0824-9145.
Email: ssgupta@kol.amity.edu
Volume 12, Number 4, July-September, 2020 I Full Text PDF
DOI: 10.21659/rupkatha.v12n4.05
Abstract
Caka refers to a square – a lateral space on the ground – while pura means filling up. Together they identify a unique form of ritual painting, executed during the festival of Bandna all across the land of ancient Manbhum – including parts of today’s West Bengal and Jharkhand. In this tradition, a specially prepared liquid pigment is dripped with all the five fingers of the hand – creating sacred designs by the village women effortlessly on their ritual-grounds. This linear emotion often gets extended upon the adjoining wall – where the same pigment is sprinkled with the fingers, along with impressions added with the palm and finger-tip. As a whole, this form of visual expression could be distinguished and identified in comparison to any other floor or wall paintings in India. It’s undoubtedly one of the finest examples – all in terms of technique, style and aesthetics – representing the rich folk-tribal tradition of this country.
Keywords: Cakapura, Bandna, Manbhum, Mahato, Purulia, ritual, painting, tradition
