NCERT Textbook: Paper Crafts (Living Craft Traditions of India) | NCERT Textbooks (Class 6 to Class 12) - CTET & State TET PDF Download

 Page 1


Paper came to India with Muslim traders, in the eleventh century
C.E. It only slowly and gradually displaced the Corypha palm
leaf, the use of which had the sanction of age and religion among
the conservative Indian literates who looked with distrust upon
this new productÖ
There is no Sanskrit word for paper. The Chinese word is
kog-dz, the ëpaper made of the bark of the paper-mulberry treeí.
When the Arabs, in the eighth century, learned paper-making
from the Chinese, they adopted the Chinese name for their own
paper made of linen rags. The Persian word for paper, kaghaz,
became kagaj in Hindustani.
By the fourteenth century, paper became popular in India.
By the beginning of the seventeenth century paper had
displaced Corypha leaves throughout northern India.
ñ  A. F. R. HOERNLE, ëPalm-leaf, Paper and Birch-barkí,
Journal of Asiatic Society, Vol. LXIX, 1901
How Paper Is Made
Can you imagine a day in your life without paper? A time
when there was no paper or books or when people looked
with distrust at it? Originally clay, stone, birch-bark, cloth,
aloe bark and palm leaf were some of the materials on
which writing was done.
Paper is one of the raw materials for making various
types of craft items like folk paintings, illustrated
manuscripts, lamp shades, photo-frames and a variety of
decorative artefacts.
PAPER CRAFTS 7
Factory-made paper is now generally made of tightly packed and
pressed fibres of rags, straw, wood, bamboo etc.
Handmade paper is made of pulp (obtained from the bark of certain
trees) mixed with glues, and waste cloth from garment manufacturers.
Handmade paper
Factory-made paper
Page 2


Paper came to India with Muslim traders, in the eleventh century
C.E. It only slowly and gradually displaced the Corypha palm
leaf, the use of which had the sanction of age and religion among
the conservative Indian literates who looked with distrust upon
this new productÖ
There is no Sanskrit word for paper. The Chinese word is
kog-dz, the ëpaper made of the bark of the paper-mulberry treeí.
When the Arabs, in the eighth century, learned paper-making
from the Chinese, they adopted the Chinese name for their own
paper made of linen rags. The Persian word for paper, kaghaz,
became kagaj in Hindustani.
By the fourteenth century, paper became popular in India.
By the beginning of the seventeenth century paper had
displaced Corypha leaves throughout northern India.
ñ  A. F. R. HOERNLE, ëPalm-leaf, Paper and Birch-barkí,
Journal of Asiatic Society, Vol. LXIX, 1901
How Paper Is Made
Can you imagine a day in your life without paper? A time
when there was no paper or books or when people looked
with distrust at it? Originally clay, stone, birch-bark, cloth,
aloe bark and palm leaf were some of the materials on
which writing was done.
Paper is one of the raw materials for making various
types of craft items like folk paintings, illustrated
manuscripts, lamp shades, photo-frames and a variety of
decorative artefacts.
PAPER CRAFTS 7
Factory-made paper is now generally made of tightly packed and
pressed fibres of rags, straw, wood, bamboo etc.
Handmade paper is made of pulp (obtained from the bark of certain
trees) mixed with glues, and waste cloth from garment manufacturers.
Handmade paper
Factory-made paper
74 LIVING CRAFT TRADITIONS OF INDIA
Paper Toys
Toy-makers, especially those living in cities and industrial
areas, make use of materials like paper, cardboard, palm-leaf,
clay, bamboo strips, pith, and papier-m‚chÈ along with other
recycled materials to create toys for children. Discarded items
including newspaper, string, rubber bands are recycled to
create toys. The toymaker creates a number of different
playthings such as kites, puppets, string-manipulated toys,
rattles, drums, damrus and whistles, moving toys like wind-
wheels, animal toys like the jumping snake, mystery boxes,
and jack-in-the-box kind of toys. Apart from toy-making, Indian
craftsmen also produce a wide variety of decorative and
utilitarian items by using plain, white and coloured papers.
Paper Cuts: The craftsmen of MathurañBrindavan area
make intricate paper-cut designs (locally known as
Sanjhi) depicting various Krishnalila scenes. During
festivals and marriages the craftsmen make exquisitely
beautiful paper-cut flowers and varied colourful items
that are used for decoration.
Stencil: A stencil is a piece of paper, plastic or metal which
has a design cut out of it. When the stencil is placed on a
surface and paint applied over it, the paint goes through
the cut out portions and leaves a design on the surface
when the stencil is removed.
Use of Paper Craft in Different Societies
? During Muharram a model of the tomb of Imam Hussain called
the Tazia is adorned with floral designs made out of coloured
papers.
? In Poland people use paper-cuts of the ëTree of Lifeí, guarded
by two cocks. The symmetry of the paper-cut technique is
said to protect the house and home.
? The Mexicans use cut-paper flags with designs of planets,
plants and a repetitive border with triangles that  symbolise
male and female energies. While sowing,  farmers place a paper
man to represent the male spirit of germination, while the
harvest is represented as a female doll.
? In China, peasants have developed paper-cuts into a rich
individual popular art. The paper cuts are stuck on walls or
window-panes of their cottages and changed frequently. The
most popular themes are the ëTree of Lifeí, cocks and hens,
etc. that are all symbols of life.
Sanjhi, Mathura
Paper toy, Delhi
Paper toy, Delhi
Page 3


Paper came to India with Muslim traders, in the eleventh century
C.E. It only slowly and gradually displaced the Corypha palm
leaf, the use of which had the sanction of age and religion among
the conservative Indian literates who looked with distrust upon
this new productÖ
There is no Sanskrit word for paper. The Chinese word is
kog-dz, the ëpaper made of the bark of the paper-mulberry treeí.
When the Arabs, in the eighth century, learned paper-making
from the Chinese, they adopted the Chinese name for their own
paper made of linen rags. The Persian word for paper, kaghaz,
became kagaj in Hindustani.
By the fourteenth century, paper became popular in India.
By the beginning of the seventeenth century paper had
displaced Corypha leaves throughout northern India.
ñ  A. F. R. HOERNLE, ëPalm-leaf, Paper and Birch-barkí,
Journal of Asiatic Society, Vol. LXIX, 1901
How Paper Is Made
Can you imagine a day in your life without paper? A time
when there was no paper or books or when people looked
with distrust at it? Originally clay, stone, birch-bark, cloth,
aloe bark and palm leaf were some of the materials on
which writing was done.
Paper is one of the raw materials for making various
types of craft items like folk paintings, illustrated
manuscripts, lamp shades, photo-frames and a variety of
decorative artefacts.
PAPER CRAFTS 7
Factory-made paper is now generally made of tightly packed and
pressed fibres of rags, straw, wood, bamboo etc.
Handmade paper is made of pulp (obtained from the bark of certain
trees) mixed with glues, and waste cloth from garment manufacturers.
Handmade paper
Factory-made paper
74 LIVING CRAFT TRADITIONS OF INDIA
Paper Toys
Toy-makers, especially those living in cities and industrial
areas, make use of materials like paper, cardboard, palm-leaf,
clay, bamboo strips, pith, and papier-m‚chÈ along with other
recycled materials to create toys for children. Discarded items
including newspaper, string, rubber bands are recycled to
create toys. The toymaker creates a number of different
playthings such as kites, puppets, string-manipulated toys,
rattles, drums, damrus and whistles, moving toys like wind-
wheels, animal toys like the jumping snake, mystery boxes,
and jack-in-the-box kind of toys. Apart from toy-making, Indian
craftsmen also produce a wide variety of decorative and
utilitarian items by using plain, white and coloured papers.
Paper Cuts: The craftsmen of MathurañBrindavan area
make intricate paper-cut designs (locally known as
Sanjhi) depicting various Krishnalila scenes. During
festivals and marriages the craftsmen make exquisitely
beautiful paper-cut flowers and varied colourful items
that are used for decoration.
Stencil: A stencil is a piece of paper, plastic or metal which
has a design cut out of it. When the stencil is placed on a
surface and paint applied over it, the paint goes through
the cut out portions and leaves a design on the surface
when the stencil is removed.
Use of Paper Craft in Different Societies
? During Muharram a model of the tomb of Imam Hussain called
the Tazia is adorned with floral designs made out of coloured
papers.
? In Poland people use paper-cuts of the ëTree of Lifeí, guarded
by two cocks. The symmetry of the paper-cut technique is
said to protect the house and home.
? The Mexicans use cut-paper flags with designs of planets,
plants and a repetitive border with triangles that  symbolise
male and female energies. While sowing,  farmers place a paper
man to represent the male spirit of germination, while the
harvest is represented as a female doll.
? In China, peasants have developed paper-cuts into a rich
individual popular art. The paper cuts are stuck on walls or
window-panes of their cottages and changed frequently. The
most popular themes are the ëTree of Lifeí, cocks and hens,
etc. that are all symbols of life.
Sanjhi, Mathura
Paper toy, Delhi
Paper toy, Delhi
75 PAPER CRAFTS
History of Papier-m‚chÈ
Papier-m‚chÈ is used to create moulded forms of a variety
of objects. It involves ornamentation of smoothened
surfaces built up of paper pulp or layers of paper. The
most sophisticated form of paper craft appears to be
papier-m‚chÈ.
The tradition of papier-m‚chÈ in Kashmir began in the
fifteenth century. While in prison, in the magnificent
Central Asian city of Samarkand, a young Kashmiri prince
observed the craft of using paper pulp as the base for
painted objects. This prince soon became King Zain-ul-
Abidin and invited accomplished artists and craftsmen from
Central Asia to his court to make papier-m‚chÈ objects.
The craft was originally known in Kashmir as Kar-i-
qalamdan, being confined to ornamentation of cases then
used for keeping pens as well as some other small personal
articles. The craft was also known as Kar-i-munaqqash
since it was used for ornamenting smooth surfaces made
of paper pulp or layers of polished paper.
The Mughal period saw the art extended to palanquins,
ceilings, bedsteads, doors and windows. In the old days
the technique of papier-m‚chÈ was artistically applied
to wood work, especially windows, wall panels, ceilings
and furniture as is evident from the fine ceiling at Madin
Sahib Mosque (1444), the ceiling at the Shah Hamdan
Mosque at Fatehkadal and the Mughal Gardens at Shalimar
in Srinagar.
During the seventeenth
century, early European
travellers discovered this
highly decorative and
marketable craft. Papier-
m‚chÈ artists of Kashmir
tailored some of their
production to the needs
and taste of a western
market that demanded
nested boxes (a set of boxes
that fit into each other),
vases and other suitably
exotic trinkets. Just as the
export of Kashmiri shawls
boomed, so did the papier-
m‚chÈ business.
Papier-m‚chÈ box
Set of papier-m‚chÈ
coasters and box
Papier-m‚chÈ: a French
term meaning ëmashed
paperí
Page 4


Paper came to India with Muslim traders, in the eleventh century
C.E. It only slowly and gradually displaced the Corypha palm
leaf, the use of which had the sanction of age and religion among
the conservative Indian literates who looked with distrust upon
this new productÖ
There is no Sanskrit word for paper. The Chinese word is
kog-dz, the ëpaper made of the bark of the paper-mulberry treeí.
When the Arabs, in the eighth century, learned paper-making
from the Chinese, they adopted the Chinese name for their own
paper made of linen rags. The Persian word for paper, kaghaz,
became kagaj in Hindustani.
By the fourteenth century, paper became popular in India.
By the beginning of the seventeenth century paper had
displaced Corypha leaves throughout northern India.
ñ  A. F. R. HOERNLE, ëPalm-leaf, Paper and Birch-barkí,
Journal of Asiatic Society, Vol. LXIX, 1901
How Paper Is Made
Can you imagine a day in your life without paper? A time
when there was no paper or books or when people looked
with distrust at it? Originally clay, stone, birch-bark, cloth,
aloe bark and palm leaf were some of the materials on
which writing was done.
Paper is one of the raw materials for making various
types of craft items like folk paintings, illustrated
manuscripts, lamp shades, photo-frames and a variety of
decorative artefacts.
PAPER CRAFTS 7
Factory-made paper is now generally made of tightly packed and
pressed fibres of rags, straw, wood, bamboo etc.
Handmade paper is made of pulp (obtained from the bark of certain
trees) mixed with glues, and waste cloth from garment manufacturers.
Handmade paper
Factory-made paper
74 LIVING CRAFT TRADITIONS OF INDIA
Paper Toys
Toy-makers, especially those living in cities and industrial
areas, make use of materials like paper, cardboard, palm-leaf,
clay, bamboo strips, pith, and papier-m‚chÈ along with other
recycled materials to create toys for children. Discarded items
including newspaper, string, rubber bands are recycled to
create toys. The toymaker creates a number of different
playthings such as kites, puppets, string-manipulated toys,
rattles, drums, damrus and whistles, moving toys like wind-
wheels, animal toys like the jumping snake, mystery boxes,
and jack-in-the-box kind of toys. Apart from toy-making, Indian
craftsmen also produce a wide variety of decorative and
utilitarian items by using plain, white and coloured papers.
Paper Cuts: The craftsmen of MathurañBrindavan area
make intricate paper-cut designs (locally known as
Sanjhi) depicting various Krishnalila scenes. During
festivals and marriages the craftsmen make exquisitely
beautiful paper-cut flowers and varied colourful items
that are used for decoration.
Stencil: A stencil is a piece of paper, plastic or metal which
has a design cut out of it. When the stencil is placed on a
surface and paint applied over it, the paint goes through
the cut out portions and leaves a design on the surface
when the stencil is removed.
Use of Paper Craft in Different Societies
? During Muharram a model of the tomb of Imam Hussain called
the Tazia is adorned with floral designs made out of coloured
papers.
? In Poland people use paper-cuts of the ëTree of Lifeí, guarded
by two cocks. The symmetry of the paper-cut technique is
said to protect the house and home.
? The Mexicans use cut-paper flags with designs of planets,
plants and a repetitive border with triangles that  symbolise
male and female energies. While sowing,  farmers place a paper
man to represent the male spirit of germination, while the
harvest is represented as a female doll.
? In China, peasants have developed paper-cuts into a rich
individual popular art. The paper cuts are stuck on walls or
window-panes of their cottages and changed frequently. The
most popular themes are the ëTree of Lifeí, cocks and hens,
etc. that are all symbols of life.
Sanjhi, Mathura
Paper toy, Delhi
Paper toy, Delhi
75 PAPER CRAFTS
History of Papier-m‚chÈ
Papier-m‚chÈ is used to create moulded forms of a variety
of objects. It involves ornamentation of smoothened
surfaces built up of paper pulp or layers of paper. The
most sophisticated form of paper craft appears to be
papier-m‚chÈ.
The tradition of papier-m‚chÈ in Kashmir began in the
fifteenth century. While in prison, in the magnificent
Central Asian city of Samarkand, a young Kashmiri prince
observed the craft of using paper pulp as the base for
painted objects. This prince soon became King Zain-ul-
Abidin and invited accomplished artists and craftsmen from
Central Asia to his court to make papier-m‚chÈ objects.
The craft was originally known in Kashmir as Kar-i-
qalamdan, being confined to ornamentation of cases then
used for keeping pens as well as some other small personal
articles. The craft was also known as Kar-i-munaqqash
since it was used for ornamenting smooth surfaces made
of paper pulp or layers of polished paper.
The Mughal period saw the art extended to palanquins,
ceilings, bedsteads, doors and windows. In the old days
the technique of papier-m‚chÈ was artistically applied
to wood work, especially windows, wall panels, ceilings
and furniture as is evident from the fine ceiling at Madin
Sahib Mosque (1444), the ceiling at the Shah Hamdan
Mosque at Fatehkadal and the Mughal Gardens at Shalimar
in Srinagar.
During the seventeenth
century, early European
travellers discovered this
highly decorative and
marketable craft. Papier-
m‚chÈ artists of Kashmir
tailored some of their
production to the needs
and taste of a western
market that demanded
nested boxes (a set of boxes
that fit into each other),
vases and other suitably
exotic trinkets. Just as the
export of Kashmiri shawls
boomed, so did the papier-
m‚chÈ business.
Papier-m‚chÈ box
Set of papier-m‚chÈ
coasters and box
Papier-m‚chÈ: a French
term meaning ëmashed
paperí
76 LIVING CRAFT TRADITIONS OF INDIA
Papier-m‚chÈ of Kashmir
The raw materials used in making papier-m‚chÈ articles
usually include old newsprint, methi (fenugreek) powder,
Multani mitti or clay.
In South India, waste paper pulp is hand-beaten into a
soft substance and mixed with local clay. It is rolled out
into thin sheets placed over any complicated mould. The
articles are finally dipped into a thin solution of paper
pulp and white clay to provide a smooth uniform surface.
The objects are then painted in oil or water colour.
The process of papier-m‚chÈ making in Kashmir, which
described below, is rather elaborate and interesting and
undertaken by a group of people called Sakhta makers.
1. Waste paper, cloth, rice straw and copper sulphate
are taken together and ground into pulp.
2. After the pulp is ready, clay, wooden or
brass moulds are used to give it the
required shape. When the pulp is dry
the shape is cut away from the mould
in two halves with a fine saw and glued
together again.
3. The surface is coated with a white layer
of gypsum and glue and rubbed smooth
with a stone or a piece of baked brick,
called Kurket.
Page 5


Paper came to India with Muslim traders, in the eleventh century
C.E. It only slowly and gradually displaced the Corypha palm
leaf, the use of which had the sanction of age and religion among
the conservative Indian literates who looked with distrust upon
this new productÖ
There is no Sanskrit word for paper. The Chinese word is
kog-dz, the ëpaper made of the bark of the paper-mulberry treeí.
When the Arabs, in the eighth century, learned paper-making
from the Chinese, they adopted the Chinese name for their own
paper made of linen rags. The Persian word for paper, kaghaz,
became kagaj in Hindustani.
By the fourteenth century, paper became popular in India.
By the beginning of the seventeenth century paper had
displaced Corypha leaves throughout northern India.
ñ  A. F. R. HOERNLE, ëPalm-leaf, Paper and Birch-barkí,
Journal of Asiatic Society, Vol. LXIX, 1901
How Paper Is Made
Can you imagine a day in your life without paper? A time
when there was no paper or books or when people looked
with distrust at it? Originally clay, stone, birch-bark, cloth,
aloe bark and palm leaf were some of the materials on
which writing was done.
Paper is one of the raw materials for making various
types of craft items like folk paintings, illustrated
manuscripts, lamp shades, photo-frames and a variety of
decorative artefacts.
PAPER CRAFTS 7
Factory-made paper is now generally made of tightly packed and
pressed fibres of rags, straw, wood, bamboo etc.
Handmade paper is made of pulp (obtained from the bark of certain
trees) mixed with glues, and waste cloth from garment manufacturers.
Handmade paper
Factory-made paper
74 LIVING CRAFT TRADITIONS OF INDIA
Paper Toys
Toy-makers, especially those living in cities and industrial
areas, make use of materials like paper, cardboard, palm-leaf,
clay, bamboo strips, pith, and papier-m‚chÈ along with other
recycled materials to create toys for children. Discarded items
including newspaper, string, rubber bands are recycled to
create toys. The toymaker creates a number of different
playthings such as kites, puppets, string-manipulated toys,
rattles, drums, damrus and whistles, moving toys like wind-
wheels, animal toys like the jumping snake, mystery boxes,
and jack-in-the-box kind of toys. Apart from toy-making, Indian
craftsmen also produce a wide variety of decorative and
utilitarian items by using plain, white and coloured papers.
Paper Cuts: The craftsmen of MathurañBrindavan area
make intricate paper-cut designs (locally known as
Sanjhi) depicting various Krishnalila scenes. During
festivals and marriages the craftsmen make exquisitely
beautiful paper-cut flowers and varied colourful items
that are used for decoration.
Stencil: A stencil is a piece of paper, plastic or metal which
has a design cut out of it. When the stencil is placed on a
surface and paint applied over it, the paint goes through
the cut out portions and leaves a design on the surface
when the stencil is removed.
Use of Paper Craft in Different Societies
? During Muharram a model of the tomb of Imam Hussain called
the Tazia is adorned with floral designs made out of coloured
papers.
? In Poland people use paper-cuts of the ëTree of Lifeí, guarded
by two cocks. The symmetry of the paper-cut technique is
said to protect the house and home.
? The Mexicans use cut-paper flags with designs of planets,
plants and a repetitive border with triangles that  symbolise
male and female energies. While sowing,  farmers place a paper
man to represent the male spirit of germination, while the
harvest is represented as a female doll.
? In China, peasants have developed paper-cuts into a rich
individual popular art. The paper cuts are stuck on walls or
window-panes of their cottages and changed frequently. The
most popular themes are the ëTree of Lifeí, cocks and hens,
etc. that are all symbols of life.
Sanjhi, Mathura
Paper toy, Delhi
Paper toy, Delhi
75 PAPER CRAFTS
History of Papier-m‚chÈ
Papier-m‚chÈ is used to create moulded forms of a variety
of objects. It involves ornamentation of smoothened
surfaces built up of paper pulp or layers of paper. The
most sophisticated form of paper craft appears to be
papier-m‚chÈ.
The tradition of papier-m‚chÈ in Kashmir began in the
fifteenth century. While in prison, in the magnificent
Central Asian city of Samarkand, a young Kashmiri prince
observed the craft of using paper pulp as the base for
painted objects. This prince soon became King Zain-ul-
Abidin and invited accomplished artists and craftsmen from
Central Asia to his court to make papier-m‚chÈ objects.
The craft was originally known in Kashmir as Kar-i-
qalamdan, being confined to ornamentation of cases then
used for keeping pens as well as some other small personal
articles. The craft was also known as Kar-i-munaqqash
since it was used for ornamenting smooth surfaces made
of paper pulp or layers of polished paper.
The Mughal period saw the art extended to palanquins,
ceilings, bedsteads, doors and windows. In the old days
the technique of papier-m‚chÈ was artistically applied
to wood work, especially windows, wall panels, ceilings
and furniture as is evident from the fine ceiling at Madin
Sahib Mosque (1444), the ceiling at the Shah Hamdan
Mosque at Fatehkadal and the Mughal Gardens at Shalimar
in Srinagar.
During the seventeenth
century, early European
travellers discovered this
highly decorative and
marketable craft. Papier-
m‚chÈ artists of Kashmir
tailored some of their
production to the needs
and taste of a western
market that demanded
nested boxes (a set of boxes
that fit into each other),
vases and other suitably
exotic trinkets. Just as the
export of Kashmiri shawls
boomed, so did the papier-
m‚chÈ business.
Papier-m‚chÈ box
Set of papier-m‚chÈ
coasters and box
Papier-m‚chÈ: a French
term meaning ëmashed
paperí
76 LIVING CRAFT TRADITIONS OF INDIA
Papier-m‚chÈ of Kashmir
The raw materials used in making papier-m‚chÈ articles
usually include old newsprint, methi (fenugreek) powder,
Multani mitti or clay.
In South India, waste paper pulp is hand-beaten into a
soft substance and mixed with local clay. It is rolled out
into thin sheets placed over any complicated mould. The
articles are finally dipped into a thin solution of paper
pulp and white clay to provide a smooth uniform surface.
The objects are then painted in oil or water colour.
The process of papier-m‚chÈ making in Kashmir, which
described below, is rather elaborate and interesting and
undertaken by a group of people called Sakhta makers.
1. Waste paper, cloth, rice straw and copper sulphate
are taken together and ground into pulp.
2. After the pulp is ready, clay, wooden or
brass moulds are used to give it the
required shape. When the pulp is dry
the shape is cut away from the mould
in two halves with a fine saw and glued
together again.
3. The surface is coated with a white layer
of gypsum and glue and rubbed smooth
with a stone or a piece of baked brick,
called Kurket.
77 PAPER CRAFTS
4. Then the object is pasted
with layers of tissue paper
to prevent it from cracking.
5. Finally, the object is
sand-papered and
burnished, ready for the
colourful artistry of the
naqash or painter, who
seals his work with
several coats of a varnish
made of linseed oil and
pine resin.
6. The ground may be in
colour or gold or tin foil; it
is burnished with a piece
of agate after drying.
7. It has to dry naturally and
only then is the design
drawn and painted in
water colour.
8. These days painting is done
in distemper colours. The
colours are made from
pigments diluted in water
to which some glue is
added to fix it to the ground.
The brushes for painting
objects are made from the
bristles of the hair of cat,
goat or ass.
9. The final varnishing is
done with a very pure and
transparent glaze of copal
dissolved in turpentine.
Painted Designs
In the papier-m‚chÈ of Kashmir the rich and varied
floral designs include the chinar, the iris, the Persian
rose, the almond, cherry blossom, the tulip,
narcissus, and hyacinth. The most famous is the
hazara (thousand) pattern which seeks to display
every conceivable flower on the smallest of objects
and gulandergul or ëflower within flowerí. The
kingfisher and the bulbul are common bird forms.