International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research

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A Widely Indexed Open Access Peer Reviewed Multidisciplinary Bi-monthly Scholarly International Journal

Call for Paper Volume 7, Issue 4 (July-August 2025) Submit your research before last 3 days of August to publish your research paper in the issue of July-August.

Preserving Tradition: Impact of Modernization on Pithora Art and its Significance in Contemporary India.

Author(s) Ms. Sidra Rizvi
Country India
Abstract This paper aims to examine the tribal art of India specifically focusing on the Pithora Art. The tribal art comes from our ancestors to us and we have an obligation to preserve it in the same manner as our ancestors did. India has a rich history of exquisite tribal arts. While many of these survived and thrived over time, many of these are no longer exists. Pithora art is one of the endangered art forms which is practiced by the Bhil and Rathwa community in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. It is a mesmerizing fusion of symbolism, myth and vibrant colours. The objective of the paper is to study the impact of modernization and the study finds that modernization has both positively and negatively affected the Pithora Art. Enhanced recognition and accessibility, economic empowerment and urban adaptation are the positive impacts and on the other hand loss of authenticity, diluting ritualistic significance and reduced community involvement are the negative impacts of modernization on Pithora Art. The Tribal art is currently being practiced by some of the renowned artists namely Chiliyabhai Rathwa, Paresh Rathwa, Buri Bai, Chanchal Soni, Shanta Bhuria etc, but this paper mainly focuses on the journey of the Padma Shree awardee artist Bhuri Bai, who incorporates modern elements such as computers, trains, airplanes, and buses in her artwork. She also used her brush and colours to break taboos that had existed for ages. Another objective of this paper is to analyse the initiatives taken by the government to preserve the Pithora art form. The Indian government along with the state governments and cultural organizations have taken several initiatives to preserve Pithora art, including several schemes and yojanas, opening of tribal research institutes in different states and granting the Geographical Indication (GI) Tags.
Keywords Bhil and Rathwa community, Indian Government, Modernization, Pithora Art, Tribal art
Field Arts > Drawing
Published In Volume 7, Issue 4, July-August 2025
Published On 2025-07-23
DOI https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i04.50267
Short DOI https://doi.org/g9tz25

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