National Tribal Wall Painting and Mandana Art Workshop Inaugurated

Udaipur: Tribal Area Development Minister Babulal Kharadi said that traditional arts and folk traditions are the true identity of our culture. However, due to changing times and the influence of modernization, culture is facing several challenges, and many traditional art forms are gradually at risk of disappearing. He emphasized that culture can remain alive only if these arts survive, and therefore their preservation and promotion are extremely important.

Kharadi was addressing the inaugural ceremony of the five-day National Tribal Wall Painting and Mandana Art Workshop held at the Cultural Resources and Training Centre (CCRT) auditorium on Friday. The workshop has been organized by the Tribal Area Development Department in collaboration with the Manikyalal Verma Tribal Research and Training Institute. As the chief guest, Kharadi welcomed tribal artists who had arrived from different parts of the country.

He said that wall paintings, Mandana, and other tribal art traditions are not merely forms of expression but also represent the heritage of our civilization and values. The minister added that both the government and society must work together to encourage artists so that future generations remain connected to their rich cultural heritage. He noted that present circumstances are leading to a gradual erosion of values and culture, and workshops like these can play an important role in reviving traditional arts and promoting cultural exchange.

Presiding over the program, CCRT Chairman Vinodnarayan Induker described the workshop as an important initiative for the preservation of tribal culture and art forms. He also shared details of CCRT’s future plans and proposed organizing various activities in collaboration with the state government for the conservation and promotion of tribal arts. Special guest Hemant Dwivedi, Director of the Department of Visual Arts at Mohanlal Sukhadia University, also shared his views on the occasion.

Earlier, TRI Director O. P. Jain welcomed the guests and provided details about the workshop. He explained that the event aims to preserve, document, and promote tribal heritage, art forms, oral traditions, and various styles of tribal wall paintings and Mandana art. Tribal artists from Rajasthan, Kerala, Bihar, Tripura, Odisha, Maharashtra, Goa, and other states are participating in the workshop. During the five-day program, the artists will share experiences and techniques related to the wall painting and Mandana art traditions of their respective states.

Tribal wall paintings reflect the close relationship of indigenous communities with nature and depict aspects of their daily life. Mandana art, on the other hand, is traditionally created by tribal communities in courtyards and homes during festivals and special occasions.

Additional Commissioner of the Tribal Area Development Department Krishnapal Singh Chauhan was also present as a special guest. The vote of thanks was delivered by the workshop’s nodal officer and Director of Statistics Sudhir Dave. The event was attended by Assistant Director of TAD Dinesh Upadhyay, artists, and other participants. The program was conducted by lecturer Harshvardhan Singh Solanki.