The pandemic is finding eloquent expression in India's folk art traditions

Contemporary works by folk artists are increasingly documenting the pandemic, relaying, through the songs of bards and works in colour, ways to keep oneself safe.

Artist Gurupada Chitrakar’s visualisation of the coronavirus is a big-haired, wide-mouthed lively creature with its tongue sticking out. Alongside an arresting combination of turquoise and orange for his portrait of the virus, the National Award-winning pat painter and singer from Midnapur, West Bengal, presents this painting with a pater gaan (song of the pat). The song, recorded by his son on a camera phone, is available on Dastkari Haat Samiti’s Facebook page. It goes like this: Amra sabdhani obolombon korbo, virus ashte debo na (We will take precautions and we won’t let the virus come to us). His chorus continues