Gond : The Tribal Art of the Heart of India

With its origin in the Heart of India, mainly Madhya Pradesh, Gond Art is the folk art of painting practiced by the Gond tribe of the state. While it may have originated in Madhya Pradesh, it can also be traced in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.

The Gonds are the largest tribal/adivasi community in India today, and their art is rare and possess a great heritage value and the intricacy of this art demands respect. Gond paintings depict the images of the lifestyle of the tribe and their environment, the wildlife of the place and surroundings. The paitnings also depict the belief and faith of the tribe, various mythological creatures and characters from the tribal folklore; all the above are innate part of this artwork. The tribe believes that seeing good images around and having them in the spaces can bring good luck and positivity. Animals are one of the prominent motifs used in the the paintings. And the tribe believes that all creatures are inhabited by spirits, and everything is thus holy and sacred.

The paintings use vibrant colors like orange, yellow, blue and red, and are created with articulately drawn lines and dots as the method to bring it to life. With natural colors obtained from various sources like flowers, stones, etc. are used for the creation of these beautiful paintings.