Bhil

Etymology: The word Bhil is a derivative of the Dravidian words 'Bil (billu)' or 'Vil' (villu)* which means Bow.

Origin: They are the second-largest tribal community in India. Bhils of Rajasthan were appointed as 'Shikaris' (hunters) by the Rajputs, they are also regarded as the fighter or warrior tribe of Mewar.

Location: Bhils are spread far and wide through many states, their areas of occupancy could stretch from Madhya Pradesh to Gujarat, and from Maharashtra to Rajasthan, although the larger part of this community is from Rajasthan. Bhils are further divided into two groups, the Central or pure Bhils and the Eastern Rajput Bhils; the Central Bhils reside in the mountainous regions of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan, whereas the Eastern Rajput Bhils are inhabitants of the eastern parts of Tripura.

Community: The Bhils are an agricultural community and their entire lives revolve around harvesting on their lands. This integrity with harvesting as livelihood plays an intrinsic aspect in their artistic practice. It reflects in the materials they use and the surfaces they create their art on, the clay walls and mud floors of their houses are adorned with frescos in bright colours and dotted patterns.

Relevance: Bhil art is a direct reflection of their lifestyle practice. They are often confused with Pithora paintings, as there are features of the two paintings that bear similarities like the use of the dots and the depiction of horses.

Historical background: The majority of the Bhils take residence in forested areas. They believe in forest spirits/deities and evil spirits which are part of their belief system What is notable is that they were once a nomadic tribe but due to their settlement majorly in Rajasthan, they are hugely into agriculture. Consequently, they have also picked up speaking the native language of Rajasthan, Marwari.

Culture and Societies: The art form of the Bhils is transgenerational, wherein the mother figures pass it down to their children. They are also a highly superstitious group. They are expressive storytellers which aids them to participate in the art of music and dance as well. The men folk of the tribe perform a dance tradition called 'Ghoomar' and 'Gair' which is a ritualistic theatrical form that is performed during the months of July and August to celebrate the festival of 'Sharavana'.

Religious significance: For the Bhils, painting is a form of prayer, and each dot represents their ancestors whom they invoke for the well-being of all. The themes they create entail stories on religious epics, myths, and tribal legends. The paintings created serve as offerings to Gods and Goddesses during festivals.

Legends: Some of their ancestries trace back to Eklavya who was the archer known in the Mahabharata and some scholars believe that Valmiki, who was the author of Ramayana, belonged to the Bhil tribe. In their mythology, a Bhil woman named Shabari offered Lord Rama 'ber', which could possibly be linked to the dots they paint.

Central motifs and their significance: Depiction of their ancestors, deities, animals, insects, festivities, the sun and the moon, legends and lore, births and deaths, and religious occasions are commonly portrayed in Bhil paintings. These motifs serve as a reminder to the viewers about their prominence in the local culture. These motifs are presented through dots, lines, and other geometrical patterns. These, too, are motifs.

Medium used: The colours used are natural dyes which are made out of natural elements found around them, to make the colour yellow turmeric is used, to create the colours blue and purple are extracted out of blueberries, and black is made out of utilising the soot residue of lamps, and white is derived from limestone. A paste of these elements is created to be used as paints by crushing them into powder after which they are mixed with warm water; usually, rice powder mixed with water is used as paint. Neem sticks and other twigs are used as brushes to paint the dots.

Style: The subjects for these paintings are large and surreal. The texture filled in these large bodies are dots which are painted in a series or pattern, the same as the stippling or pointillistic method in western art history; the colours with which these dots are made are always in contrasting harmony with the background colour. Every artist's rendition is unique and their use of these dotted patterns creates their identity as a Bhil artist.

Process: For Bhil wall paintings, the walls are prepared with a mixture of plaster and mud called 'mittchitra', after which paints made from soot, limestone, berries, and turmeric are used to paint over the walls. Later, the art was practised on paper and canvas with the same traditional method, only the use of tool, colour and base differed.

The Bhils are also highly skilled sculptors who create stunning clay pieces moulded into the shape of horses, elephants, tigers, and other minor Bhil deities. The shift in their art practice started when they chose canvas over clay surfaces and acrylics instead of natural dyes, they even started portraying modern elements such as buses and other transportation in their traditional narrative. Through the changes in mediums and themes, the way they choose to tell their stories has remained unchanged. Most of Bhil painting artists are now internationally displayed artists.

1. Ranjan, A., Ranjan, M.P. (2009) Handmade In India - A Geographic Encyclopaedia of India Handicrafts. New York: Abbeville Press.

2. Sabnani, N. (2014) A Bhil Story. Chennai: Tulika Publishers.

3. Raghbeer, A. (2014) A Jar of Sound Bhil Art. New Delhi: Wisdom Tree Publishers.

4. Monteiro, A., Ullah, F., Jayasankar, K.P. (2021) Many Voices, Many Worlds: Critical Perspectives on Community Media in India. California: SAGE Publications.

5. Jod, M. (2015) Bhil Culture. Jodhpur: Arihant Prakashan.