Made of rice flour, a floor decoration...

Bengal folk art

Derived from the Sanskrit word ‘alimpana’, meaning ‘to plaster with’ or ‘to coat with’, alpana is a folk art/painting of Bengal in the form of colourful motifs.

On auspicious occasions in Bengal, it’s brought to life on the floor with rice-flour paste. The word also traces its roots to the word ‘alipana’, the art of making embankments.

Alpana designs, being auspicious symbols, are said to be passed on from one generation to another. Besides figures of goddesses, other patterns include flowers, leaves, sun, owl, fish and lotus.

Alpana is linked with religious sentiments and rituals, brotos or vrat, practised by the women of rural West Bengal, for the well-being of their families.

Traditionally, alpana was drawn by the women of the house before sunset. By dipping their fingers into the soaked-and-ground rice paste, they drew beautiful patterns on floors, walls, and in the courtyards. Along with this exercise, they composed and recited verses to suit the motions of drawings.

Interestingly, they changed the theme of their drawings and verses. If they needed rain, the rituals included verses and alpana invoking the rain gods. If the ritual was for a good harvest, the alpana and verses depicted rice, overflowing granaries etc. Likewise, for the Goddess of wealth Lakshmi, they would draw her carrier, an owl, a granary, a conch shell and lotus motifs.

For the women steeped in agrarian culture, broto alpana was a way to connect with gods while expressing their artistic abilities. This was also a platform to sing with other women, feel appreciated and admired by the bigger community around them.

Traditionally, the art was done mainly to get divine blessings and protect their families from any misfortune. Today, it has taken a more modern approach. The designs and patterns vary according to festivals or occasions.

The changing moods of the seasons are also reflected in these designs. They are simple and elaborate, made popular over the years.

The materials used have also changed. Alpana designs are strictly white in colour due to the rice-flour liquid paste. Nowadays, coloured chalks, vermilion,
flower petals and grains are also used to decorate the designs.

What remains distinguished in the art is the circular alpana drawn as a holy pedestal for worshipping a deity, especially at the time of Lakshmi Pooja. There is a lotus at the centre, and then the border is made with lotus leaves. This basic pattern is extended to make it really big. The deity is placed on the lotus at the centre.

It is said that without alpana, a festival is incomplete.