Tsunami

Tigers no longer roam free across India but in the works of the West Bengal artists tigers are looking you in the eye, tongues hanging out like the Goddess Kali, the fearful aspect of the mother goddess. A bevy of colorful birds, cows and calves quintessential images of rural India are the focus of this art form. Traditionally, the performers would carry these scrolls door to door and depending on people's requests particular stories would be sung for a small fee. These artists prepare all of their colors from natural sources-roots, shoots, leaves and flowers mixed with fruit glue. They paint on mill made paper and back them with sari fabrics to give them strength. Now they create works on traditional religious themes as well as contemporary events such the Tsunami.