Saura paintings are famous in which state?

Saura (Sora or Savara) painting is a traditional wall painting tradition of the Saura tribe of Odisha, who live mainly in the Rayagada, Gajapati, Koraput and Ganjam districts in the south of the state. The Sauras are one of the oldest tribes of India and are mentioned in ancient texts such as the Ramayana (Shabari is believed to be a Savara).

The Saura paintings are called "idital" (or "ekon"). They are drawn on the mud walls of houses as a form of worship and offering to the gods and ancestors. Key features:

They are drawn in white colour (made from rice paste) on a red or yellow ochre background.

The figures are simple stick-like shapes of humans, animals, trees, the sun and moon, drawn with geometric forms.

The paintings are usually made inside a square or rectangular frame bordered with a fringe pattern called "fish-net" design.

They are made by a priest (the "kudan") or the head of the family when someone is ill, at harvest time, at a birth or wedding, or to honour the deity Idital.

The paintings are believed to protect the home and bring good harvests.

Saura paintings look similar to the Warli paintings of Maharashtra, as both use white stick figures on a dark background. One difference is that Saura figures often have large heads and the space inside the frame is fully filled, while Warli paintings are built around circles and triangles and a central "chauk".

Saura painting received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2024.

Odisha's other famous painting forms include Pattachitra (cloth scroll paintings of Puri and Raghurajpur) and Talapatrachitra (palm-leaf engraving).

Why not the other options?

• ✗Maharashtra has Warli painting.
• ✗Bihar has Madhubani painting.
• ✗Madhya Pradesh has Gond and Bhil paintings.