Craft Name: Gond Painting

Region: Madhya Pradesh (primarily Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh)

CRAFT
HISTORY

Gond painting is a traditional art of the Gond tribal community, one of India’s largest indigenous tribes. Originating in Madhya Pradesh, the art was initially ritualistic, painted on walls and floors during festivals, harvests, and religious ceremonies. Over time, these sacred patterns moved from mud walls to paper and canvas, becoming a recognised contemporary tribal art form. The style is deeply connected to nature, folklore, and the community’s belief that paintings bring good luck and protect the home.

WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE:

  • Uses dots, lines, and patterns to depict stories
  • Inspired by nature, folklore, animals, and daily life
  • Typically bright and vibrant, with intricate detailing

Received a
GI tag in 2023

COLOURS

  • Bright green, red, yellow, blue
  • White and black for outlining and detailing

How much time does it take to make a product, and how many artisans are involved in making this craft?
A Gond artwork takes 2–12 days, made by 1 artisan skilled in pattern-filling.

MOTIFS

  • Animals: peacock, tiger, elephant, deer
  • Trees, flowers, birds
  • Folklore stories and tribal deities
  • Repetitive dot and line patterns for texture

RAW MATERIAL

  • Base: handmade paper, cloth, canvas, walls
  • Pigments: natural colours from charcoal, leaves, soil, and plants; later synthetic colours
  • Brushes: bamboo sticks, fine brushes, twigs
  • Pens or cotton for dotting techniques

CRAFT MAKING PROCESS

the art of gond

HOW TO IDENTIFY GENUINE GOND PAINTING

  • Dense use of dots and lines creating texture
  • Natural motifs depicting tribal life and folklore
  • Vibrant colour palette with black outlining