The folk art that became associated with royalty and festivity

Thanks to the rich history and diversity of this subcontinent, there is something new in every corner and every nook has something different and enthralling to offer. We Bengalis are known for our festivities too besides food, literature, sports, cinema and music and there is a saying in Bangla, ‘baro mashe tyaro parbon’, which literally means ’13 festivals in 12 months’, it only says how much we love festivities and leave no chance to celebrate. But, two of the fondest memories of festivities at home for me has to be Saraswati Pujo and Lakshmi Pujo. Saraswati Pujo takes place in the Bengali month of Maagh (January-February) and Lakshmi Pujo during Aashshin (September-October). Aashshin is the month of autumn and during Maagh its almost spring. On these days, the whole household would have a different flow of energy and we all would be busy since morning trying to do our best to make the mother goddesses happy. But the fondest memories from these festivities have to be Alpona. Those white geometric and floral designs made out of a semi-liquid paste of soaked Ātop Chāl are something that makes me remember home, makes me remember the festivities, the rituals and even the food.

Alpona has always fascinated me a lot because unlike many other art forms, this has traditionally been with one colour and that is white but still, it was so grand and so attractive. Although with time, like most other traditional arts, even Alpona is now ‘globalised’ and now comes in different colours. Alpona is now not just a ritual, it’s a celebration in itself. We see huge Alponas adorning the streets of Bangladesh during Bhasha Dibosh (International Mother language Day) and Poela Boishakh (First day of Bengali Year). The grandeur is of a different level and hundreds of people come together to make it happen. Similar initiatives can also be seen in India and with every passing year, the length of Alpona keeps growing with the enthusiasm and pomp. Seeing to the sustainability and outreach I do support these Alpona initiatives but my heart still belongs to those simple white motifs that are drawn by the men and women of different households.

Alpona is drawn using a cotton ball or a small piece of fine cloth dipped in the semi-liquid paste of Ātop Chāl and the cloth is pressed between the fingers gently so that there is a continuous and even flow of the liquid mixture and the ring finger of the right hand is used to draw the motifs. We also see the use of Khori Māti in tribal villages of Bengal. We get to see a miniature depiction of Alpona on the foreheads of a Bengali bride and groom, usually, the bride’s one being more complicated. This Alpona on the foreheads and cheeks is traditionally done with a paste of sandalwood but again globalisation struck here too and we see all sorts of things being used nowadays.  Alpona has a very rich and long history and as far as the context of Bengal goes, Alpona has been originally performed in villages by the girls to decorate the door-fronts, floors and the places before the idols of deities. Initially, Alpona saw the use of motifs of paddy sheaf, feet of goddess Lakshmi, lotus and other images which were meant for welcoming wealth, prosperity and knowledge into the house. But now it experiments with a large variety of designs which are growing out of its intrinsic aesthetic properties, there are no rules about their shapes, sizes, measurements or placements, leaving ample scope for creativity. I remember using the ‘ample scope for creativity’ a bit too seriously while I was a child and made really gross and not so palatable Alponas. Nevertheless, my grandmother was more than happy seeing me getting involved in the chores and my tryst with Alpona continued.

What are these floor paintings? Are these mere decorations and beautifications? Do they have any underlying meaning which has been forgotten with time? Are they some welcoming signs or signs of gratitude? Can we also understand a person’s current state of mind through his/her Alpona?

It is generally believed that the word Alpona derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Alimpan’, which means ‘to plaster’ or ‘to coat with’. However, according to many authorities, it is a created Sanskrit word and the root of this word is non-Aryan. Possibly the word Alpona has derived from the word ‘Ailpona’; the art of making ails or embankments. So, Alpona possibly is an art form practised across ages with the belief that this will keep the dwellings safe, protect the households and bring prosperity to the land.

Decoration is not the only purpose of an Alpona, the reason that Alponas have traditionally been drawn with rice paste is that insects would not have to go too far or too long for food. The rice paste also invites birds and other small creatures to eat it, thus welcoming other beings into one's home and everyday life: a daily tribute to harmonious co-existence. It is a sign of invitation to welcome all into the home. Traditionally, these blessings have always been counted as the pathway to prosperity. When we open the doors for everyone, we open the doors for goddesses Lakshmi and Saraswati to come into our households and bless us with prosperity and knowledge.

Alpona has not only decorated homes and pathways but has traditionally played the role of community building too. Since women in villages would come together for festivities and would gather to do Alpona, they would discuss motifs and designs to come down to a common idea and then execute the idea making the whole process a bonding exercise based on a common hobby. Alpona is an art which needs precision, hard work and dedication so it is indeed a talent to reckon with if someone excels in this art form. Alpona has also been a status symbol in villages where the grandest Alpona was always at the courtyard of the palace of Zamindar. However, it was a moment of pride and never a point of discrimination.

Not many of us know that the motifs and designs that we use in Alpona have their parallel motifs are seen on pots and vases of the Indus valley civilisation. Drawn with bare fingers and depicting the hopes for prosperity and knowledge, these beautiful traditions of Alpona have educated and bonded communities for at least 40,000 years now. 

Alpona, although very traditional and ethnic to Bengal and wherever Bengalis dwell but it connects me to India in its very own way. Whenever I travel to different parts of India and get to see different kinds of traditional floor art, for me all of them has always been Alpona because all of them makes me remember everything near and dear. But, in the meantime what happened is that my curious mind did a bit of research and found out that these floor arts have different names across the nation, different motifs and rich history. However, all of them are still Alpona for me and I will like to believe them to be Alpona, it makes me feel at home.

Much of this wisdom and tradition is eroding away with time. Alpona is an art form that stays alive through the knowledge passed down through generations. We will not find many people who teach the art of Alpona very professionally. However, a piece of good news is that few art colleges are taking interest in this art form and doing all kinds of experiment and research with Alpona. For an art form that brings the community together, depicts and expresses the hopes of the community and celebrates togetherness, one can only hope that this Indian art form will be practised for many more decades to come.