Aipan (also known as Alpana) is a traditional art form from Uttarakhand, India. It is primarily a decorative art used to adorn walls, floors and objects during religious and cultural occasions. Aipan paintings feature intricate geometric, floral, and religious motifs, often drawn with a white paste made of rice flour on a red ochre (“Geru”) coated background. These paintings are commonly seen during Hindu festivals like Diwali, Navratri, and Raksha Bandhan as well as life events such as marriages and naming ceremonies. The paintings symbolize prosperity, good luck, and devotion.
Technique and Method
The surface (usually walls, floors, or wooden planks) is first coated with Geru (red clay or ochre) to create a contrasting background. Designs are drawn using a paste made from rice flour, applied with fingers or a fine brush. Common Motifs are Swastikas, lotus, conch shells (“Shankh”), and footsteps of deities (“Lakshmi Padchinh”), geometrical patterns representing deities and yantras, peacocks, flowers, and other nature-inspired elements
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