Can you imagine drawing inspiration from a crime scene? Well, that’s what happened with 1998-batch MP PCS officer Seema Alawa. She came upon a Pithora painting at a crime spot and was so inspired by it that she learned this art form and took it up as a hobby.
In 2015, when she was posted as Additional SP in Jhabua district, she was working on a case of triple murders in the district. When she visited the crime spot in a village, she came across a tribal painting that captivated her. Later after the case was solved, Ms. Alawa could not forget the painting and started researching and delving deep into it. And, now, it has become a hobby for a lifetime.
Indian Masterminds spoke with Ms. Alawa, who is now posted in Indore as Additional DCP (HQ), to know more about her journey with Pithora art.
THE BEGINNING
Along with a hectic police job, she has also become a Pithora artist with more than 200 paintings, 186 specific till now, and 4 exhibitions of her paintings to her name. Her paintings are on display at various important places, including Omkareshwar Temple, Central Academy of Police Training, Governor house, the Indian Embassy in Doha, a famous hotel in Leicester town of England, and various collector offices in Madhya Pradesh.
Pithora is a tribal art which originated in the Alirajpur area in Madhya Pradesh thousands of years ago. It’s a ritualistic painting done on the walls by the Rathwa, Bhils and Bhilala tribes. The name Pithora also refers to the Hindu deity of marriage, who is revered and worshiped by the tribals.
However, while investigating the murders in a village back in 2015, Ms. Alawa was fully unknown to the Pithora art, despite being an art lover. She was shocked to see such paintings in the house of a villager. While she had knowledge of painting and was into art since her childhood, especially Gondi Arts, she had not seen Pithora art before in her life.
She said, “The poor man who could not afford even a proper meal had such a painting in his house, and I was really flabbergasted. Because, arts or paintings are basically rich people’s hobby. Then, I researched a lot about it and its history. So I came to know that the tribals there worshipped a God named Pithora and take vow in his name for fulfillment of their wishes. If a wish is fulfilled, then the person gets a Pithora painting made at a house, temple or somewhere else by inviting an artist. It’s a ritual where music is played, and food and wine are served. It takes days at times, depending on the size of the painting.”
In Pithora painting, the tribal culture is drawn on canvas and natural colours are used. After understanding the essence of the art, Ms. Alawa learned it but it took years to reach a certain level of perfection. However, in the beginning, many artists refused to teach her as they thought that it will cost them, as they paint Pithora on a daily wage basis.
Now, Ms. Alawa’s paintings beautify the homes of many police officials. People buy her paintings to decorate their houses and offices. She has even made a 147 square meter long painting, her biggest painting till date.
FOR COLLECTOR OFFICE
The first time Ms. Alawa made a Pithora painting in a big way was for the Alirajpur Collector office at an event in 2018. When she was searching for Pithora artists, she could not find easily. She then understood that it was a dying art and except for the tribal people, no one was willing to do it or even new how to do it. So, she decided to promote this art from then on.
In this, she got support from her seniors as well and she organized many workshops on the dying art with the help of NGOs. She has also worked with UNICEF for promoting Pithora art.
She has given this art form training to student cadets, police youth and even women police persons. In order to take the art to the public, the women of the police families and the women constables were especially taught about it.
FAMOUS PAINTINGS
Ms. Alawa’s painting in Omkareshwar Temple is very famous. This painting is of Maa Narmada. Located on the banks of river Narmada in Khandwa, the temple has historical relevance and a Pithora painting on its wall infused more reverence.
Hailing from Dhar district, Ms. Alawa said, “I made it on canvas. After that, it was adorned in the wall of the world famous Omkareshwar Temple. It was beautiful!”
A painting of hers that depicts the menace of child labour and early marriages was shared by the UNICEF on its social media platform in 2019. Her paintings are also at the offices of the Collector and Police Superintendent in Jhabua, Alirajpur, Khandwa and Betul districts. She showcased 32 paintings at her first solo exhibition titled ‘Essence of Folk Art’ in Khandwa.
Her paintings have been featured in group exhibitions at the Indian Police Service (IPS) officers meet in Bhopal, by NGO Jwala, and at Hanuwantiya in Khandwa, which is India’s largest water and adventure vacation destination.
DREAM
Daughter of a sale tax officer, Ms. Alawa dreams of making the biggest Pithora painting in the world. She has plans for this and wants to make it on a Ramayana theme on canvas. However, she knows that such work cannot be done alone. It will need proper planning and manpower. Till now, her biggest Pithora painting is 341 feet, which is in Khandwa. She did it as a kind of rehearsal ahead of bigger paintings.
Ms. Alawa said, “Tribal culture is very rich. Whatever they do for preserving their things, from grains to anything, is really exceptional. We should represent all that. I am doing it in my own way on canvas. And that is what it is all about – the presentation of the tribal culture through my Pithora paintings.”
Talent runs deep in this family!
— UNICEF India (@UNICEFIndia) August 30, 2019
This beautiful Pithora art work was done by Seema Alawa, Additional SP, Alirajpur #MadhyaPradesh & her daughter Jahanvi & carries strong messages against child labour and marriage & the importance of education.#ForEveryChild, every right#CRC30 pic.twitter.com/0N3xlPqHHp
