SSC
The 'Paitkar' paintings are unique cultural symbols of which state?
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Answer: Option B — Jharkhand
Detailed Solution
Paitkar painting is a traditional scroll painting of Jharkhand. It is practised mainly in Amadubi village near Ghatshila in East Singhbhum district, which is now promoted as a "Paitkar village" for tourism. It is regarded as one of the oldest tribal painting traditions of India and is sometimes called the "scroll painting of Jharkhand".
Features of Paitkar painting:
The paintings are made on long scrolls of paper or cloth, with several panels one after another.
They are used for storytelling. The artist (called a "paitkar" or "chitrakar") unrolls the scroll panel by panel while singing the story.
The main themes are the life after death and what happens to the soul, as well as stories from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and local myths, and scenes of tribal life and festivals.
Natural colours from plants, stones and soil are used, and the figures have bold outlines.
The paintings are linked with the Santhal and other tribes of the region, and the art has some similarity to the "Jadopatia" painting of the Santhal Parganas.
Paitkar painting is in danger of dying out because few young artists are taking it up, and efforts are being made to revive it.
Other painting traditions of Jharkhand:
Jadopatia: scroll paintings of the Santhal Parganas, painted by the "jadopatias".
Sohrai and Khovar: wall paintings made by women of the Hazaribagh region during the Sohrai harvest festival and at weddings. Sohrai-Khovar painting received a GI tag in 2020.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Rajasthan is known for Phad scroll paintings and Pichhwai.
- ✗Kerala is known for mural paintings.
- ✗Punjab is known for Phulkari embroidery.
Quick tip
Remember: Paitkar painting = Amadubi village (East Singhbhum), Jharkhand, scroll paintings used for storytelling; Sohrai-Khovar = Hazaribagh (GI 2020).
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Paintings, Crafts, Dress & Tribes — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Paintings, Crafts, Dress & Tribes, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers India's traditional painting styles (such as Madhubani, Warli, Pattachitra, Kalamkari, Gond and Tanjore), handicrafts and textiles, traditional dresses, and the major tribes of each state and their customs. It also includes Geographical Indication (GI) tags given to crafts and products. Questions usually ask which state a painting or craft belongs to, which tribe lives in a region, or what a traditional dress is called. Warli belongs to Maharashtra, Madhubani to Bihar, Pattachitra to Odisha and West Bengal, and Gond art to Madhya Pradesh. Grouping tribes by state, and noting the largest tribe of key states (such as the Bhils and the Santhals), helps with elimination. Practise the paintings, crafts and tribes questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.