Have you ever been to the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand? If yes, you’re sure to have come across products in red and white with intricate geometrical patterns and designs on them. While many tourists purchase these products as souvenirs, many are unaware of the cultural significance of this art form called Aipan to the place and its people.
Aipan is a ritualistic art form that originated in Almora, Uttarakhand, during the reign of the Chand Dynasty. Additionally, it holds special significance in all Kumaoni households. This art form is characterized by its use of red and white colors, traditionally done on empty red brick(geru) walls and floors with a white paste made of rice.
Rich upper-class Brahmin women practiced the art form and believed it would bring them good fortune. But now the art is being practised by many. Ekta Arya, a 21-year-old Aipan artist from Almora, acknowledges the art form’s positive shift. She tells The Voices, “Earlier, people from my caste could not make Aipan, but now everyone can. The art form’s nature has also undergone changes over the years. While it was primarily ceremonial in nature, it has become commercialized today. It has become a means of livelihood for locals in Uttarakhand. There has also been a drastic change in the materials used. She added that rice paste and geru were essentials for practicing this ceremonial art, which is now replaced by acrylic or oil paint.
Meera Joshi, a 75-year-old acclaimed artist and Aipan expert says, “It’s important to remember that Aipan cannot be done however you like. You need to have the proper knowledge of Disha and the yantras. I don’t mind the commercialization, but, unfortunately, the younger artists are not fully aware of Aipan’s significance. There must be shuddhikaran (purification) of the art form. It would be ideal for teaching Aipan in schools/colleges. The government too, must prioritize formal training centers to popularize the art form.”
Hemlata Kabdwal, a 22-year old Aipan artist from Mukteshwar, focuses on experimenting with Aipan. She remarks “I study the folk arts of other states and try to fuse them with Aipan.” While discussing the importance of the variations, she says, “Variation and experimentation are important for any art form to survive. Sometimes rules need to be broken to take something far…but I am careful to not ruin the cultural and traditional significance of Aipan in whatever I do.”
Deepa Dhami Kathayat, the founder of the Bhuli Foundation in Dehradun, wishes to empower women through Aipan. “I believe that Aipan is a science. There is a particular way the bindu, dhara, vasudhrayein, and mantras are used while doing Aipan. We hope that the right form reaches people. Unfortunately, people nowadays use digitally-created Aipan stickers. We want to keep the art hasta-nirmit (hand-made) only,” she says.
The foundation, established in 2021, has managed to train a total of 10000 women over one year. “We organize workshops that last for 20-25 days, where we train women in Aipan and provide them with employment after that. We also organize workshops in schools. Students’ curiosity and willingness to learn motivates us,” she elaborates. On talking about the recent work done by the NGO, she says, “We regularly host exhibitions. We organized one in Raj Bhawan on Vasantotsav and another in Ambedkar Ground in Virasat and received an amazing response.”
The tryst with COVID times exposed the art and artists to an unprecedented crisis. Adapting to the new normal had its own shades of experiences. Ekta Arya, tells The Voices, “The onset of COVID-19 in 2020 was a rough time for the artists. With business stopped, the market affected, and a lack of funds to procure raw materials, I tried to make the most of the lockdown, despite all hardships. I spent most of the time improving my art skills and organizing workshops through Zoom for people interested in learning about Aipan. “The pandemic negatively impacted the nation’s economy, and many people lost their jobs.
Mrs. Kathayat says that pandemic inspired more women to take up the artform. She tells, “If I were to compare the response now to the response during pre-COVID times, I’d say that the women have become even more interested in learning Aipan and making it their source of income”.
Going online was another pandemic driven change in the sector. Ms. Kabdwal says, “I used lockdown as an opportunity to establish the presence of my art on social media. I also organized many online workshops in collaboration with other organizations.”
Eyeing the popularization of the art and livelihood of people, the government has been trying its best to preserve the art form. Uttarakhand Handloom & Handicraft Development Council (UHHDC), a society registered under Society Registration Act, 1860, is entrusted with protecting artists of various cultural and religious products like Aipan by generating employment opportunities.
In 2015, the state tourism department of the Uttarakhand Government decided to display Aipan in government offices and buildings.
In September 2021, Aipan received a GI Tag. “We are currently registering the artists as ‘Authorized Users’ of Aipan,” says Ms. Vandana Singh, the District Magistrate of Almora district. On talking about district-specific government initiatives, she comments, “In Almora, we have identified 15-20 artisans working with Aipan and are extending our support to them. The Rural Development Department set up a Rural Business Incubator, whose first cohort was related to Aipan. Through this, we organize workshops and incubate artists on how to run their Aipan business professionally and effectively implement marketing strategies for their products. Many artists are unaware of the GST-related registrations on e-commerce sites such as Amazon. In our last workshop, this was our focus,” she said.
According to Ms. Kabdwal, “Aipan cannot get its due recognition without governmental support. It is slowly and steadily receiving that support, and I hope this support will only increase in the coming future. We received this art form in virasat (heritage), and we must preserve it.”
Edited by Mreegakshi Sarna