Indian Folk Art: An Introduction
By Dr Vikram Kumar Indian folk arts are culturally based art forms that are handed down through generations. These traditional art forms include music, dancing, puppetry, storytelling, etc. This is a very unique feature of Indian Art and Culture. India is known for its arts and crafts that are conventional. The various art forms are displayed through distinct cultural and traditional identities by states and union territories. The rich heritage of India comprises ethnic, colourful and vibrant tribal arts. “The Constitution of India identifies the indigenous people as “tribes”. Tribes as a social formation may be identified in two ways: firstly, as a stage in the history of the evolution of human civilization; secondly, as a society organized on the basis of kinship ties which enables them to be a multifunctional grouping. In India, tribal is defined in reference to the cultural practices of certain groups in relation to religious and cultural practices. Tribal an...