Art Forms

Design Resource

Aipan - Uttarakhand

Ritual Floor Painting

Prof. Bibhudutta Baral, Aruna Kumari Y. Ankana Sen, Dinesh K. Dandapat and Shruti K.

Art Forms

Every design has its own significance. The designs are symbolic and common in meaning for different regions also. The design varies each day for each ritual and worship of a particular god. Patterns drawn in Aipan paintings are inspired by nature, trees, birds, animals, betel leaves, and flowers like Lotus etc. Geometrical patterns like lines, dots, squares, circles, and triangles. Other motifs like Swastik, Trident, Fish, conch shell, footprints, supposed to be of Goddess Laxmi, and anthropomorphic figures.

Saraswati Chowki (seat of goddess Saraswati), Chamunda Hast Chowki, Nav Durga Chowki, Shiv or Shivarchan Peeth, Surya Darshan Chowki, Janeyu Chowki, Asan Chowki, Acharya Chowki, Durga Thapa, Jyoti Patta and Lakshmi Yantra - are the traditional designs made with different connotations and symbols which depicts the deities.

• The design starts at the center with a flower and is surrounded by dotted borders, creepers and stylized flowers.
• Entrances of the house are intricately decorated with straight lines welcoming the guests.
• Puja rooms are beautifully decorated with designs of lotus flowers, betel leaves, and conch shells.
• Chowki (seat of goddess Lakshmi) is designed during the Diwali festival.
• The ceremonial Aipan design is like a Yantra (A noticeable geometric pattern) to symbolize the deity.

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Aipan - Uttarakhand