Uh? The night life of trees? It is an intriguing thought and does conjure up fanciful images of Page 3 culture. But to the tribal artists of the Gond tradition in the deep interiors of Madhya Pradesh, it is simply a statement of fact.

“During the day, our trees are caught up in many roles — as a shade contraption, a shelter for birds and squirrels, as the frame from which fruits are harvested, etc. It is only at night that they are allowed to be themselves and revel in their inner spirits,” says Bhajju Shyam, one of the Gond artists trio, who have been showing their work in London, Paris and now, Chennai, courtesy Tara Publishing, Chennai.

Durga Bai and Ram Singh Urveti complete this trio of Gond artists, who have been touring the world and fascinating the West. The London Jungle Book, Bhajju Shyam’s visual travelogue on his first visit to a western metropolis, was launched at the museum of London and has now been published in Italian, French and Dutch. 
The fact is, Gond tradition believes that the trees around us, like ourselves, possess a personality. The Gonds also believe that Gods make trees like the Sembar, their abode at night, even as their daytime visitors like birds and bees depart. The Peepul tree, they believe is the home of the Creator. Lord Shiva, they believe created the trees from his locks and nourished it with a sprinkling of the ash that coats his matted hair.

The Saja tree, according to them, is the tree of song, while the Mahlain trees, which are always found entwined together symbolise strength. You also get introduced to the Naghpani tree with its snake-shaped leaves and hard wood which can take the load of a palanquin, and the Khirsali trees the Gonds use for fencing their property.

The trees have also got entwined with folktales and have plenty of symbolism built around them. The Dumar tree is supposed to bless marriages if its wood has been used to make the wedding canopy.

The artists have also been thoughtful and added their own interpretations. Durga Bai has sketched a bird, a lion and a pig along the trunk of the Mahua tree from the flowers of which the Gonds make their liquor. “If you take small amounts and mix it with herbs, it is medicine. When you drink a little more, it is pleasant. But if you drink too much, your very form can change — you begin to babble like chattering birds; drink further, you behave like pigs,” Durga Bai says. Incidentally, Tara has also brought out a book based on these paintings.

The works are intricate and painted over a black background (to depict night, of course). The black base does make the tree stand out. Each work focuses on a single tree, and there is no trivia composed around it, just the black night. But of course, the imagery from the folk tales built around them does find a place in the scene.
The Gond artists work on a minimal palette of colours that extends to just yellow, red, black, brown and green. These were the colours the Gonds extracted from the earth around them; from the lap of mother Narmada (river), as Durgabai says.

The Gonds traditionally paint these scenes on one huge canvass that is available to them — the white-limed walls of their mud houses. Tara has now got them to execute these paintings on canvass with poster and acrylic paint. Luckily, these artists have not diluted or changed their style with the change in medium and these works carry the inimitable signature of Gond tribal art.

While each of the three have their own styles, the commonality they share remains the intricacy of the lines and designs. For the most part, the artists have used just one colour for each tree, and the mastery of line is impressive. The forms are so intricately sketched that it is hard to decipher where one ends and the other begins.

Some of the trees begin from the branched horns of the deers; others take the form of peacocks spreading open their plumage. Some trees have their trunks and branches taking the shape of elongated necks of swans, while some other trees have been skillfully designed to take the form of animals. Serpents and birds are favourite icons in Gond art, we learn form these images.

What also comes through is the uncontrived and natural bond that these people retain with trees, unlike the contrived attention we city-dwellers give to trees. To them, these trees are entities, rather than just part of the landscape. More than us urbans, these people know their trees and how important they are to sustain human existence.

Thoughts also move on to our notions on contemporary art. Should contemporary art be a prerogative of the West-influenced abstract art? Tribal art can be as mysterious, evocative and creative.