1. Bhanu Dudhat – Scroll Painter

Dhudat is top names amongst scroll paintings in India. He, along with his family of wife, daughter, son and daughter-in-law, has been painting massive scrolls depicting elaborate stories from the Ramayana or the Kargill war, in a colourful folk style of painting. Dudhat calls his painting technique the ‘Gujarat school of art’ style. His scrolls are about 55 metres long on an average – about 4 Volvo buses in a row – and make for spectacular viewing. The student of the famous artist K G Subramanyan, Dhudat has conveyed the ethos and beauty of folk art in an evocative way.

2. Sharat Kumar Sahoo – Pattachitra/Patachitra

Sharat Kumar Sahoo is a national award painter from Orissa who actually hails from the artistic village of Raghurajpur known for the talented artists practicing pattachitra. Derived from the Sanskrit word  Patta (canvas) and Chitra (painting), Patachitra of Odisha originated in the 12th century. The Patachitra of Raghurajpur uses combination of pleasant colour layout and well-integrated fine lines. The paintings reflect diverse hues of deities Jagannath, Balaram, Subhadra and Jagannath Temple as the theme of their paintings. Later on the artists improvised on themes like Krishna Leela, Raas Leela, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Ganesha etc. In order to cater to the present market the artists have started painting on themes like Buddha and The Tree of life. According to the artists the tradition of Patachitra painting is linked with the Jagannath tradition of Odisha. According to the Hindu mythology Lord Brahma – the generator of the universe drew the figures of Lord Jagannath, Balarama and Subhadra on a piece of cloth with charcoal. It is since then the Patachitra artists of Odisha use cloth as their canvas.
Sahoo is one of the several artists who do Pattachitra with vegetable dyes and colours extracted from minerals. The experienced and skilled artist tells popular narratives of Hindu deities like Jagannatha, Krishna, Vishnu, Shiva, Parvati and more. The works have intricate borders, central imagery and perfect division of space and proportions. There is no room for error here.

3. Avinash Karn – Mithila/Madhubani Painting

During the lockdowns, Karn was stuck in his studio in Banaras. He continued painting and his works were a reflection of the societal issues that had erupted, be it the spraying of disinfectants on workers, doctors getting evicted from their rental homes and so on. His posters on pandemic-safe behaviour were used by the Azim Premji Foundation to propagate safe practices. Not only is he creating art but Karn, in collaboration with Artreach India, is reaching out to young children from the marginalized communities and transforming their lives through art.

4. Gopi Chevayur – Kerala Murals

The murals in the Kerala style have graced the walls of Kerala palaces and temples and the art dates back to the 14th century. Gopi Chevayur has been doing murals since the 90s and now he trains students in this old art form as well. His works have adorned the walls of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Trivandrum, Sree Alatheeyur Hanumankavu and other places showcasing the beauty of a wonderful tradition.

5. Ghulam Nabi Dar – Wood carving

One of the oldest artists of Srinagar, Ghulam Nabi Dar specializes in walnut wood carving. He is the artist behind several intricate wood panels which are displayed in private collections as well as institutions. A national awardee, he is in his 70s and focuses on creating works as well as training those who show a genuine commitment to the art.