Pithora painting is a ritualistic painting done on the walls by the Rathwa, Bhils and Bhilala tribes of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. This art form dates back to ancient times and is dedicated to Pithora Baba, the god of fertility and prosperity.
It is a mural art form painted on walls to bring blessings, fertility, and peace to homes. The paintings depict animals, humans, and celestial elements in vivid colors.
First the artist cleans the walls and coats it with a mix of cow dung and white clay. The design is drawn freehand using natural colors derived from flowers, leaves, and soil. Depictions often feature horses, gods, and tribal life, painted in a linear, childlike style.
The materials used are white clay and cow dung for wall preparation and natural pigments such as red from flowers, yellow from turmeric and black from soot.
Pithora painting is characterised by freehand line drawings with no pre-sketching, the use of multiple vibrant colors to create a lively mural and symbolic depictions of tribal deities, horses, and nature.
