The captivating Sauras art has been telling the tribal tale for hundreds of years, with basic forms and figures that come together to compose complex narratives in very few colours. A tribal artform from eastern India, Saura art began on the walls of village homes with its ritualistic origins to become one of India's most beautiful art forms of pride.
The Sauras are one of the oldest tribes in India, inhabiting the southern region in Odisha. The Sauras are known for their distinct tribal culture and art with a background that has been stated in the Ramayana and Mahabharata. A community deeply connected to nature, their surface art seems to be a simplified representation of daily life in the village. But the Sauras art is rich with symbolism and significance, and it is through these pictures and their understanding that the people of Saura hang on to their traditions and culture. For the Sauras who have no script in their language, their art is a record of their history , philosophy, and religious traditions.
Saura art is usually made on the villagers' red or brown clay walls, with natural colors made from dirt, white stone, and extracts of flowers and leaves, using a tender bamboo brush. The paintings are typically dedicated to Sauras' god, known as Idital, and are made during special occasions such as harvest, birth, marriage, etc...The characters in Saura 's artworks are called idols or images, and many of them are recurrent motifs and metaphors, such as humans, the tree of life, the sun and moon, goats, elephants, many of which have their own significance. Historically, only priests were able to render these wall paintings. They would also describe their origins to the village residents, passing on local traditions and beliefs in a special oral tradition.
How Saura is Different from Warli?
Saura seems to be the exact twin of another, perhaps better known form of Indian tribal art-Warli. The two art styles are often identical, consisting of similar geometrical shapes, often in similar shades of earthen colours. Still, there are minor variations between the two, from the arrangement of the structures to the shape they are positioned in, which distinguishes each form! Boundary is first drawn in a Saura painting after which the interiors are filled which is called the fish-net technique. The Saura forms are broader and more elongated than those found in Warli art, without any visible distinction between male and female shapes. The pictograms are divided into various parts according to their significance and intent. Usually the painting portrays the everyday events of Sauras life. Saura figures are less linear than the Warli figures, where the human form is defined by two sharp triangles merged at the apex.
IN THE MODERN WORLD: In the 21st century Saura art underwent several transformations. An art that started on mud walls as murals, now it's everywhere, from sarees to notebook coverings. It has recently acquired a decorative appeal, with many purchasing Saura art for their homes. Saura artists have also begun working with more compact materials such as canvas and paper for modern technologies such as acrylics and pen and ink. Another fascinating trend in Saura painting, as seen in other Indian tribal art forms as well,is the gradual inclusion of estern elements in the depicted images and subjects. Looking at a simple art form that has been untouched for years is also a beautiful thing, and then seeing a bus in the painting, drawn in modern style, standing perfectly in place.
Saura art is not only stunning to look at, it is also interesting with its eye-catching imagery and cultural meaning, as the voice of a tribe expressing its own story in a manner that is authentic and original. One of the most interesting tribal art forms in India, Saura is a gem that contributes too much value to the tapestry of the cultural diversity in India.