Past and Present of the Folk Art of Purba Medinipur: A Historical Review

Abstract

As one of the part of folk culture, folk art still exists in the folk society of Purba Medinipur. Geographically Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal being a part of the lower Indo-Gangetic Plain and the Eastern Coastal Plain, many folk arts has been the inalienable part and livelihoods of folk artists as these were essential to folk society from the distant past. Folk art such as horn, bari, kantha (quilt), alpana, palm leaves etc. can be seen even today but its differences in practical uses and demand in the society are also clearly seen. In the urge to survive, many folk arts have a touch of aesthetics, but the needs of the past are still present in various ways. The purpose of this research paper is to understand how the folk arts in East Medinipur district have maintained their existence in the post-independence period within numerous adversities in the society.