Ashtimki painting
Nepalese painting style
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ashtimki Chitra (Nepali: अष्टिम्की चित्र, lit. 'Ashtimki painting') is a type of painting drawn on the day of Ashtimki festival celebrated by the Tharu community in the western region of Nepal.[1][2]
Significance
The painting is made on the wall of the house using home-made colors that make the painting unique and beautiful. It is done on the day of Lord Krishna's birthday, Krishna Janmashtami at Tharu elder Mahatawa's house.[3]
The colors are made from red clay (red), bean leaves (green) and burnt wild grass (black).[4]
Symbolism
The painting depicts the story of evolution.[5] The main components of the painting are Kanha (Krishna), a kadam tree, a boat, fish, crabs, tortoise, monkeys and other animals, a ten headed demon (Ravana), Pandava, Draupadi, a sun and a moon. Lately, the artists have been adding other animals to the painting. These characters are marked with tika on the painting as the ritual function of the Ashtimki festival.[6]
