Consider the following statements :1. Manjusha Art is often referred t...
Manjusha art is an ancient folk art of Ang Pradesh (the ancient Anga Mahajanapada). Ang Pradesh is currently known as Bhagalpur City of Bihar. The Sanskrit word Manjusa means a ‘box.’ These boxes were made from bamboo, Jute-Straw, and paper, inside which the devotees kept their ceremonial materials. The boxes were illustrated with paintings that tell a tale. And the tale was of Bihula, who saved her husband from the deity’s wrath and a snake bite and also of Bishahari or Mansa. The festival of Bisahari is celebrated on the 17th and 18th of August every year. During this pooja, two things are made. One is the “Kalash,” and the other the Manjusa. The Kalash is made by the Kumbhakar and Manjushas by the Malakars. Each is decorated with the art of Manjusha, which depicts these stories and is immersed in the lake at the end of the festival. They worship Bisahari as they believe they will get strength from her and her protection. She promises that their husbands will be protected from all the snakes. Bishaharis are represented in the same way, except they can be distinguished by what they hold in their hands: Jaya Bishahari holds a bow and arrow with an amrit kalash in one hand and snake in the other, Dhotila Bishahari has a rising sun in one hand and a snake in the other, Padmavathi Bishahari has lotus in one hand, and a snake in the other, Mynah Bishahari has mynah in one hand, and a snake in the other, and Maya/Manasa Bishahari holds snakes in both hands. Manjusha Art or Manjusha Kala is often referred to as Snake Paintings by foreigners as swirling snakes in the art depict the central character Bihula’s tale of love and sacrifice. So, Statement 1 is correct.
Patua Painting is an Indian folk painting that originated in West Bengal. This type of art is traditionally drawn on a piece of cloth known as a pati (or patta). The paintings are stitched onto the scroll, which is strengthened by adding fabric from old saris to the back. Sometimes, one scroll can have a scene or panel from a longer story painted on it. It could also have images of animals or scenes made up by the artist. Patuas, like other traditional painters, began by painting scrolls or patua depicting the mangal stories of the gods and goddesses. For generations, scroll painters or patuas have gone from village to village telling the mangal stories of the gods and goddesses. People found these scrolls to be a great source of entertainment. Traditionally, Patua painters used a brush made of bamboo and goat hair. Today, scrolls also depict current affairs, history, and other subjects apart from traditional themes. Painters use vegetable dyes with vegetable gum fixed on paper. The Patua is an artisan community found in the Indian states of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and parts of Bangladesh. Some Patuas are Hindu, while others are Muslim. So, Statement 2 is correct.
The Pithora paintings are done by the Rathwa, Bhil, Nayak and Tadi tribes of Gujarat, parts of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The Pithora wall paintings are done on the main wall of the house, which divides the verandah from the kitchen. This part of the house is considered sacred to Pithoro, the god of food grains and the principal deity of the tribe. One of the most well-represented figures in Pithora wall paintings is the horse, which is used to represent the gods, goddesses and ancestors. The depiction of seven horses in the paintings represents the seven hills bordering their region. The main characters of Pithoro and Pithorani are made in white. The other deities depicted are Ramdev and Walan, the rain god. The walls for Pithora wall paintings are prepared by the kumaris, or unmarried girls, using cow dung and clay over seven days. Yet the paintings are done by men in groups of seven to eight. The characteristic white background is the result of the white clay, Pandurya. It is holy to the Rathwa tribe and is believed to purify the background of the painting. The colours used in the Pithora wall paintings are red, yellow, blue, green and orange.
So, Statement 3 is correct.