Cheli Aipan: A unique initiative to make traditional folk art lucrative

The idea is not only for them to make some extra money from a traditional skill, but to develop an understanding and appreciation of the art form itself

At a time when Indian contemporary art is expanding to global markets, a tiny organisation in Almora, Uttarakhand is trying to revive domestic interest in a traditional folk art through a unique initiative. Locals call it Aipan, the traditional terracotta and white motifs drawn on floors and walls on ceremonial occasions. Traditionally passed down from mother to daughter, aunt to niece, Aipan consists of rhythmic geometrical patterns on a terracotta painted base. “Every motif is a symbol, and especially the aipans painted for specific religious deities have such profound meanings,” says Namita Tiwari, the diminutive artist who has been at