Coconut Shell Painting - Bhubaneshwar, Orissa
Orissa has a long tradition of painting from prehistoric times. Painting in Orissa is still a living tradition. The artistic skill of the Orissa artists is quite unsurpassable in the world. The artists were patronized by landlords and kings, leaving them free to scale new heights in creativity in all fields of visual arts. Orissa had many unique art forms and expert master artisans. Skill have been traditionally passed down generations within the family. However with not enough returns from traditional arts and diminishing interest from the younger generations of some of the traditional families, the artist lot has been a decreasing population.
Bhubaneswar, the Cathedral City was once the capital of an ancient Kalinga Kingdom. Bhubaneswar meaning the Lord of the universe is also the modern capital of Orissa. In Bhubaneswar, Shiva is known as Tribuhuvaneswara or Lord of the Three Worlds, from which the city derives its name.
Coconut shell is the strongest part covered in coconut fruit. Coconut shell is located in between the coconut flesh and coconut husk. This shell is naturally created to protect the inner part of coconut. This shell is use to produce various handicrafts applies and other applications. Most of handmade decorative are created by using coconut shell due to their strength. Instead of wasting the coconut shell reutilize the coconut shell by making artistic craft like hanging painted coconut. Coconut shell painting is a fascinating craft and also people use for worship. Coconut shell painting, usually involves acrylic colours which have good properties. Acrylic paint is a fast drying paint containing pigment suspension in acrylic polymer emulsion. Acrylic paints can be diluted with water, but become water-resistant when dry.
Coconut shell has biological function as the protector of the main fruit. Located in the inner side of the coconut fiber with its thickness around 3-6 mm. Coconut shell can be categorized as hard wood, yet has higher lignin level and lower cellulose level, and water level about 6-9% and especially composed of lignin, cellulose, and hemi-cellulose.
Coconut shell painting is used as a hanging painted coconut. Coconut shell painting is used in shop and home to protect from the evil eye. The specialty of coconut shell painting is a paintings are made by without any rough sketch and it is directly made by using different types of brush with perfect painting.
Coconut shell painting involves the Gods and Goddesses of Orissa namely Lord Jagannath (a form of Krishna), Lord Balabhadra and Maa Subhadra, in the colors black, white and yellow respectively, are worshiped.
Artisan Mr. Chinthamani Maharana who resides in Bhubaneswar, Orissa. He learned this work from his father and he has 15 years of experience in painting. He owns Jay Jagannath Art and Crafts shop in Orissa. He also make the image of Lord Jagannath making in pure Neem wood.
