When Krishna Made a Mountain into an Umbrella in Tikuli Art
A first attempt at Tikuli art
I have always been drawn to the bright colours and folkish look of Tikuli art. But strangely enough, I had never tried painting in this style.
My first encounter with Tikuli art goes back to the 1990s, when I lived in Patna. I remember buying a small painting in this style. I didn’t know its name then. I simply thought it was a form of Madhubani and bought it because I loved the colours and the way the figures were drawn.
Years later, Sri Krishna Jayanthi brought that memory back.
I had been wanting to try Tikuli, and Krishna seemed like the perfect subject.
Krishna and Govardhanagiri
The image that came to my mind was the story of Govardhanagiri.
When Indra sent incessant rain over Gokul, Krishna lifted the Govardhan mountain with His little finger and held it up like a giant umbrella, giving the people and cattle a place to shelter.
That was the picture I wanted to paint ; Krishna at the centre, the mountain spread above him like a canopy, and the people and cattle gathered safely underneath.
And then this painting happened.
Painting it in my own way
This is my first attempt at exploring Tikuli art. I used acrylic paints on handmade paper, and tried to bring some of the bold colours and decorative details that attracted me to Tikuli in the first place.
The black background was an important part of my composition. I liked the way it made the colours of Krishna, the people, the cattle and the landscape stand out.
I also enjoyed filling in the small details such as the clothing, ornaments, flowers and patterns. For some of the smaller spaces, I found a black fineliner pen easier to handle than a brush.
I was not trying to reproduce a traditional Tikuli painting. This is simply my own interpretation of the art form, inspired by a style I had admired many years ago.
For me, the most delightful part was seeing the picture in my mind gradually take shape on paper – Krishna holding up the mountain like a giant umbrella, with the people and cattle gathered safely underneath.
This painting is acrylic on handmade paper.
