A PEEK INTO SOHRAI ART OF JHARKHAND

Sohrai Art of Jharkhand: A Sacred Tradition Painted in Earth and Spirit

Deep in the heartlands of Jharkhand, nestled among tribal villages and forested hills, lives a vibrant tradition that is as sacred as it is aesthetic — Sohrai art. More than just wall painting, Sohrai is a living expression of gratitude, community, and symbiosis between humans, animals, and nature. It is a seasonal celebration, a women-led art form, and a centuries-old legacy that turns mud walls into mesmerizing canvases.

The Origin: Art Rooted in Agrarian Rhythms

Sohrai art gets its name from the Sohrai festival, an annual harvest celebration observed by tribal communities such as the Santhal, Munda, Oraon, and Ho in Jharkhand. Celebrated a day after Diwali, the festival honors cattle—vital companions in agrarian life. Homes are cleaned and decorated, and cattle are bathed, adorned, and worshipped.

It is during this time that the women of the household take to the walls, painting animals, plants, fertility symbols, and tribal deities using only natural colors.

Natural Pigments and Earth as Canvas

Sohrai paintings are made with natural mineral-based colors:

• Red: From iron-rich geru soil

• White: From ground rice paste or kaolin clay

• Black: From burnt wood or charcoal

• Yellow: From haldi (turmeric) or yellow earth

These are applied directly onto freshly mud-plastered walls using chewed twigs, broken combs, fingers, or cloth swabs, maintaining a tactile connection with nature. The earth is both medium and message.

In traditional Sohrai art — especially as practiced in the tribal villages of Hazaribagh, Jharkhand — the color palette is strictly natural and earthy, derived from local clays and minerals. Here’s the authentic Sohrai art color scheme

✅ Correct Colour Combinations in Sohrai Art:

Natural Element	Color	Source Material	Usage
Red	Terracotta/Brick Red	Geru mati (red ochre)	Background or base layer
White	Off-white / Cream	Kaolin clay or khariya mitti	Outlines, animal figures, dots, deity forms
Black	Deep brownish black	Burnt wood soot or manganese clay	Borders, linework, bulls, snakes
Yellow	Mustard yellow	Yellow ochre soil or haldi	Highlight elements like sun, birds
Brown	Warm soil brown	Mixed mud	Secondary background, human figures

 

Tip: The art uses no artificial paints. The symbolism matters more than realism — animals and humans are geometric, simplified, and rhythmic.

 

Themes: Fertility, Nature, and Life

Sohrai is not ornamental art—it is symbolic, spiritual, and celebratory. Common motifs include:

• Cows, bulls, peacocks, snakes, elephants – symbolic of strength, fertility, and prosperity

• Creepers, trees, flowers, and geometric patterns – representing growth and harmony

• Pashupati (Lord of Animals) and other tribal deities

• Traditional tattoos and body art patterns – echoing ancient feminine expression

These motifs often flow in rhythmic, organic symmetry, reflecting the community’s deep understanding of cyclic time, natural harmony, and ritual continuity.

Women as Custodians of Sohrai

Sohrai art is traditionally passed from mother to daughter, with no formal training. Women become both storytellers and custodians of heritage through these expressive forms. It is a space of creative freedom, even improvisation, within an oral and visual tradition.

From Mud Walls to Museums

Thanks to the efforts of art conservationists and tribal art scholars like Bulu Imam, Sohrai has now found its way to galleries, murals, textiles, and exhibitions across India and the world. Villages such as Hazaribagh’s Isco and Bhelwara have become famous for their elaborate murals, now supported by cultural preservation initiatives.

However, the soul of Sohrai still thrives best where it began—on the earthen walls of tribal homes, surrounded by cattle bells and forest winds.

Sohrai in Contemporary Design

Contemporary designers are now exploring Sohrai motifs in home décor, fashion, wall art, and public installations, offering a new lease of life to this ancestral wisdom. The interplay of geometry, nature, and cultural memory makes Sohrai not just beautiful but meaningful and sustainable.

Why Sohrai Matters Today

In a world increasingly dominated by synthetic aesthetics and fleeting digital media, Sohrai art stands as a reminder of a slower, more rooted life. It represents:

• Eco-friendly practices

• Matriarchal knowledge systems

• Harmony between human and animal worlds

• Art as ritual and community, not just decoration

Preserving and promoting Sohrai is not just about saving a tribal art form—it’s about honoring a way of life that values earth over ego, rhythm over rush, and tradition over trend.

How You Can Support Sohrai Art

• Visit rural art centers in Jharkhand and buy directly from artisans

• Commission Sohrai murals or artworks for public and private spaces

• Include Sohrai in education curricula for design, anthropology, and sustainability

• Share stories of tribal women artists to give them a voice in the global art community

Let’s not just admire Sohrai. Let’s make space for it to live, breathe, and inspire.