When we discuss folk painting traditions, the type of image itself becomes crucial. In terms of drawing style, many other similar painting forms exist across India, and they are known by different names depending on the region. However, in terms of subject matter and background, Alpona is quite different. When discussing the identity of Alpona, it is important to first understand whether it should be considered a Rekhachitra (line drawing) or a Lepan Chitra (a painting made by applying or spreading a material). There are two strong opinions about the origin of the word “Alpona.”

One theory says that the word came from the Bengali word "Aail," referring to the raised boundaries or narrow paths between agricultural fields. Over time, Aailpona may have changed into Alpona. An Aail refers to the raised boundary between fields, sometimes used as a walking path between crops, and sometimes as a small embankment to hold water in the field. It can mark the boundary of a piece of land or help retain water during the dry season. If we wish to depict the shape of a piece of land in a drawing, we can use a few lines to represent these Aails.

However, this instantly presents a question. The people who traditionally made Alpona were usually village women or housewives. It appears unlikely that they were very concerned with measuring or delineating the borders of agricultural land. Furthermore, no clear historical link has been established between the founding of Alpana and current issues such as property ownership, boundaries, or Aails. To understand the true shape of a piece of land by looking at it, one must view it from a higher perspective or create a picture based on its measurements and surrounding edges. Given the time period in which Alpana is thought to have originated, the concept of depicting terrain through such a picture does not appear particularly believable.

Perhaps the so-called “Aail theory” was only an unnecessary interpretation brought in by the opponents of puja and old ceremonial traditions. Traditionally, Alpana was formed using the relatively recent procedure of applying Pithuli, a liquid combination made from rice powder, with fingertips to make the designs. This approach proposes that the word Alpana is derived from the Sanskrit cultural word Alimpan, meaning “to apply” or “to coat.” Other scholars are of the opinion that the Bengali word ‘Alpana’ is derived from the idea of spreading or applying a material.

Aail is a raised earthen boundary around a cultivated field

Alpona

Brata

Alpona is generally known in society as a part of women’s Brata ceremonies. To comprehend this effectively, we need to have a clear idea of what brata genuinely means. Brata is not worshiping the gods and goddesses as known to regular people. A brata starts with a personal wish or desire. It is somewhat like making a Manot (a personal promise) or offering Shinni at a Saint’s shrine. A personal prayer can be made at any time and in any setting, but a brata has some definite rites and traditions. If these are omitted, the brata is incomplete. The artist and scholar Abanindranath Tagore wrote a book called Banglar Brata. Through this book, he introduced the educated society of Bengal to the differences and connections between brata and traditional worship.

People have always had many wishes that are beyond their own abilities. Since ancient times, people have prayed to imagined supernatural powers as a way of seeking help and comforting themselves. These wishes could be major ones, such as getting rid of illness, gaining wealth, having children, defeating an enemy, getting a good harvest, or finding a good marriage. They could also be much smaller, everyday wishes. In different ways, people would call upon an imagined powerful force to help make these wishes come true. These practices are known as brata.

Alpana Made for Brata

Ancient cave wall paintings made by early humans

Brata is not something found only in India. Since ancient times, people in different parts of the world have followed various kinds of rituals of this nature. In prehistoric times, when people lived together in groups inside caves, they used to draw pictures of animals on the cave walls before or after going hunting. Archaeologists tell us that these animal drawings may have been made with the hope of finding the desired animals during the hunt.

Along with drawing pictures, they may have lit a fire and danced around it. They may have recited some mysterious rhymes, chants, slogans, or mantras that were difficult for others to understand. All these actions were performed with the hope that the hunting expedition would be successful. In that sense, these were brata related to hunting. But does every preparation for an activity become a brata? For example, when we want to write with a pencil, we have to sharpen it first to expose the lead. This is also a preparation for writing, but we do not call it a brata. The reason is simple: we do not imagine any supernatural power being connected to the process. It is purely practical and based on reality.

Prehistoric people believed that everything in nature had its own life or spirit. They might have believed that a tree could spread its shade or produce plenty of fruit if it wished to. They might have believed that a mountain could provide shelter by creating a cave. They might also have believed that if the Sun or Moon were pleased, they would provide light. These imagined powers were not simply personal beliefs. They were ideas accepted by the society as a whole.

When many people in a society have completely different beliefs and practices, disorder can arise. That is why societies develop certain rules and customs. Behind these customs, there is often an acceptance or recognition of some supernatural or unseen power. It is within this belief system that many traditional rituals, including brata, developed.

Every person has their own opinions and beliefs. But if someone tries to make their personal belief accepted as everyone’s belief, why would others accept it? For this reason, societies have developed certain common rules that are considered beneficial for everyone. Various activities and practices are arranged to protect and maintain these rules. As time passes, these practices gradually become traditions.

Now, imagine that an abstract belief becomes connected to one of these traditions. For example, people may believe that a supernatural spirit lives inside a huge banyan tree, and that offering shinni to it can cure illness. Believing such stories, people may gradually begin to show special respect and devotion to that banyan tree. As more people start visiting the tree, certain preparations and arrangements develop around it. There may also be rules to maintain order, so that everyone does not rush there at the same time. In this way, different methods of praying to unseen and supernatural powers gradually develop.

A person can make a wish or prayer silently in their own mind. But such a private wish does not necessarily have any visible effect in real life. If a person takes part in some kind of process or ritual, however, then whatever the final result may be, they can at least comfort themselves by thinking, “I have done my part; I have tried.” When a personal practice becomes something that other members of society are also expected to follow, brata begins to take shape.

Over time, these brata practices can grow larger and more elaborate. Eventually, some of them develop into large-scale formal rituals and ceremonies of worship. Looking at the cultural history of peoples around the world, we find many different forms of brata. The way these rituals are organized varies according to people’s way of life, place, and time. But the basic wishes behind them are often very similar and deeply rooted in human life. Wishes for a good harvest, children, marriage, rain, freedom from illness, wealth, and prosperity have gradually become part of the formal rituals and worship practices of many major religions. In the Indian subcontinent, traces of these older practices remain clear in many forms of worship associated with the Aryan religious tradition, particularly Hindu worship.

Across different regions of the Indian subcontinent, many other drawing traditions similar to Alpana are also found. They are known by different names depending on the region and language. For example, Jyoti in Odisha, Aripan in Bihar, Mandana in Rajasthan, Sathiya in Gujarat, Rangoli in Maharashtra, and Kolam in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

What are the rituals of Brata like? The way a brata is performed varies depending on the kind of wish behind it. As discussed earlier, brata is not simply an expression of a strong personal wish or prayer. It is completed through certain practical actions and conditions.

For example, someone may fast for three days and take a bath in the Ganges as part of a brata for recovery from illness. Or, when welcoming a new bride into the family, Alpana may be drawn at the entrance of the house, accompanied by Uludhwani, the recitation of Chora (Rhym), and offerings of flowers and sandalwood paste. So, it is not only about praying to God. The person also has to take part in certain practical activities for the fulfilment of that wish. Muslims also observe the Hajj as a religious obligation. One of its purposes is to seek Allah’s pleasure and forgiveness for sins. To fulfil it, one has to follow many rules and rituals. The rules and methods may be different, but the basic idea is similar: seeking the blessing or favor of an unseen power. The older a society is, the more varied forms of brata it may have developed.

In Bangladesh, many brata traditions that involve Alpana are also associated with reciting chora. The chora and the image are companions to each other. But nowadays, people who know and practise these traditional chora are becoming rare. As a result, the image itself has become the main form of expression. In modern society, the practice of seeking help from supernatural or unseen powers is gradually becoming less common. As a result, many brata practices are slowly becoming more of a formal ritual than an expression of active belief.

In greater Bengal, many forms of brata were already practiced even before the arrival of the Aryan religious tradition. In agricultural society, these brata were mainly performed by women. Women were directly involved in agricultural life. Tasks that did not require great physical strength were generally considered women’s work. These included cooking, household work, taking care of children, raising ducks and chickens, plastering houses and courtyards with cow dung and mud, sewing, and, in some cases, growing vegetables in household gardens. Along with these everyday tasks, women in Bengal also took an active part in different festivals and celebrations. When women take part in an activity, it often becomes more graceful and pleasant, with its roughness and harshness softened. Another quality is often associated with this: emotional sensitivity. A woman carries a child and imagines its future. She nurtures, within her own body, the beginning of a deeply personal desire. If we observe the gentleness involved in caring for a child at every stage, it becomes easier to understand where the natural softness found in women’s traditional art may come from.

Alpana is a form of women’s brata art. There is a reason why the two words “women’s” and “brata” are used together here. Drawing pictures is an important part of the process of performing a brata. It is not only about praying silently in one’s mind. A brata requires certain practical actions, and creating an image is one of them. The flowers, creepers, leaves, birds, and other animals drawn in Alpana are not simply decorative patterns. Many of them can carry symbolic meanings. Human desires are limitless. Yet, in Alpana, certain images and patterns appear again and again. If we look at them simply, the number of things being represented is actually quite limited. The wide variety of human wishes does not lead to an equally wide variety of scenes in the images. The artist usually does not create a completely new composition based on each brata's particular subject. Instead, her skill lies in arranging and combining patterns she has already learned and practiced. Her success depends on how skillfully she can organize these familiar elements. Together with the other rituals and objects associated with the brata, these designs create a particular artistic atmosphere. The artist’s opportunity for creativity lies in finding new ways to arrange the images she has mastered through repeated practice.

It is worth discussing why the word “women’s” is so often used when talking about Alpana. Brata is generally a women’s ritual, and women are also the ones who traditionally create the images for these occasions. That is why a certain feminine softness can be clearly seen in the style of Alpana. Instead of strong, straight lines and rigid geometric forms, Alpana often uses floral and creeper-like decorations, conch shells, birds, footprints, and other familiar household symbols.

In the grand setting of temple worship and religious ceremonies, there are certain limits to the participation of ordinary people. Much of the ritual is performed by priests. Devotees bring offerings and receive prasad at the end of the worship. The activities connected with these ceremonies, such as music, dancing, fairs, and other celebrations, can be so grand and elaborate that everyone can enjoy them. In comparison, ceremonies such as entering a new home, Annaprashan, Hatekhori, Bodhuboron, and similar occasions are much more intimate and domestic. They do not usually require the participation of outsiders.

Alpana is not called “women’s art” simply because women draw it. Rather, the term refers to the softness found in the imagination, composition, and style of these images: the graceful and flowing quality that is often compared to the gentle movements and expressive gestures traditionally associated with women.

Alpana for Puja

Temporary Images

Alpana is a temporary form of art. Just as a brata is not performed for an indefinite or vague purpose, women traditionally performed brata with specific wishes in mind—for example, hoping for a good harvest in a particular season or for someone to recover from an illness soon.

The Alpana made as part of a brata is needed only to complete the ritual. Once the ritual is over, there is no longer any need for the Alpana. That is why it is usually made on the floor or in the courtyard. Since it is made with a temporary material such as rice powder, the image gradually disappears within a few days as people walk over it.

Like other forms of art, Alpana also communicates a kind of message. It is almost as if the women of the household are saying, “You should know that we are performing a brata.” This message has its own visual language. For generations, the women of Bengal have practiced this visual language, giving these messages a recognized social identity. The woman performing the brata, known as a bratini, draws certain symbols and signs according to the particular brata to express her wishes. Perhaps the message is meant to reach some supernatural power, but the people who actually see the image are real people—her family members, neighbors, and others around her. So, while making the Alpana, it is natural that she would also feel the need to make it pleasing to these viewers.

Different Alpana Designs for Different Brata

Traditionally, making Alpana was a very simple process. Rice powder was soaked in water to make a liquid mixture called pithuli. A piece of cloth was dipped into or soaked with this liquid. The cloth, along with the pithuli, was then wrapped around the ring finger or another finger in such a way that a small stream of the mixture could flow from the fingertip. Sometimes several fingers were used together.

The rice powder is white, and when the Alpana dries against the naturally dark, greyish background of the earthen floor or courtyard, the design becomes bright and clearly visible. When a large Alpana was planned, a preliminary drawing was sometimes made with khori mati (chalk/clay) first. Although Alpana mainly depends on lines and dots, the lines can be made thin or thick, and some areas can also be filled in. Skilled Alpana artists are capable of creating very complex designs and detailed decorations.

However, Alpana has not always been limited to white. Sometimes natural colors were mixed with the pithuli to give certain parts of the design more emphasis. In modern times, different kinds of chemical colors have also been introduced, while brushes and pens have gradually replaced the use of fingers.

The Making of Alpana

Among the various initiatives Rabindranath Tagore took at Santiniketan to preserve the artistic traditions of the country, Alpana was one of them. He brought several artists from as far away as Chattogram to Santiniketan so that this art tradition, created through the skilled hands of Bengali homemakers, could be practiced in a new form. At the art center of Santiniketan, this practice took on a new form and gradually became free from its connection with brata. This revival of Alpana deserves a deeper discussion. For that reason, I will try to discuss this phase separately in another section.

Alpana also has many similarities with other folk-art traditions found across the Indian subcontinent. The similarities are particularly visible in the symbols used in the images, their composition, and the social background of the artists who traditionally created them. The differences, however, lie mainly in their purpose, their temporary or permanent nature, and the materials used to create them.

The symbols used in Alpana, as well as the way the elements are arranged in a design, have their own background and meaning. First of all, it depends on what the brata is and what it is meant for. A brata for wishing for a child would certainly be different from one for wishing for wealth. For example, when praying for the arrival of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi, footprints or Lakshmi’s vehicle, the owl, may be drawn. In Bengali agricultural households, however, owls and snakes are also traditionally viewed with respect because they help control rats in the crop fields at night. Fish may be drawn because of the hope of finding fish in canals and wetlands. Different kinds of birds, conch shells, particular creepers, trees, and other natural elements may also appear.

These symbols have some commonly recognized forms, so people can generally understand what they represent. However, particular symbols may appear depending on the place or region. An artist may even intentionally combine elements from different subjects.

Different Symbols Used in Alpana

Different Symbols Used in Alpana

Are there any specific rules for drawing Alpana? There is no simple answer to this question. Alpana contains many familiar symbols connected with the purpose of the brata. There is also no fixed size for an Alpana. If it is made in a courtyard, it will naturally be larger; if it is made near a doorway, it will be smaller. The symbols in an Alpana are often repeated, and many flower- or creeper-like motifs are added for decoration. Alpana designs do not become completely different from one place to another. Rather, the differences are usually found in their style and treatment. Alpana is not drawn completely at random. Its overall form is decided beforehand according to its purpose, and the design generally maintains a geometric and repetitive character. 

Alpana is traditionally meant to be viewed from relatively close by, so there is no particular reason for it to be enormous in size. In modern times, Alpana has moved beyond the framework of personal brata and has been adopted in new forms. This newer form of Alpana should not necessarily be discussed only within the background of traditional or women’s folk painting. Many people compare Alpana with naksha or decorative patterns. Although the two may look quite similar, there is a fundamental difference between them. 

If we look at Alpana simply as an artwork, it can also be appreciated beyond the history and culture of the society in which it developed—as a visual and artistic form in its own right. In that way, even within traditional practices, we can appreciate the freedom artists have taken in arranging their designs in different contexts. It is this creative sensitivity of Alpana, along with its ability to take on new forms, when necessary, that has helped this art tradition survive despite the changes and challenges of time.