Beyond Warli and Madhubani – A Wake-Up Call for Cultural Preservation

India is a treasure trove of traditional art—rich, diverse, and deeply rooted in our history. While names like Warli, Madhubani, and Pattachitra are slowly gaining recognition on tote bags and gallery walls, hundreds of lesser-known art forms remain in the shadows, struggling to survive.

These endangered folk and tribal arts are not just creative expressions—they are living legacies of communities, rituals, and ecological knowledge. Today, many of these art forms are at the brink of extinction, threatened by urbanization, digital displacement, and a lack of institutional support.

At Alokya, we believe that awareness is the first step toward revival. So here’s a spotlight on 7 rare and endangered Indian art forms you’ve probably never heard of—but should.

1. Rogan Art – Kutch, Gujarat

The art that’s painted with a needle on fabric.

Rogan (meaning "oil-based" in Persian) is a 400-year-old craft from Nirona village in Gujarat. It uses castor oil mixed with natural pigments to create intricate, free-hand designs on fabric. The technique? Artists use a metal stylus—not brushes—and draw from memory, with no tracing or sketches.

Why It's Endangered:

Only one family—the Khatris of Nirona—continues this art form.

Preservation Status: Reviving but fragile; needs wider artisan training and sustainable market access.

2. Tholpavakoothu – Kerala

A shadow puppet tradition blending drama, music, and mythology.

Performed in Kerala’s Bhadrakali temples, Tholpavakoothu is a ritualistic shadow puppet theatre using leather puppets projected on a screen lit by oil lamps. These plays can last 7 to 21 nights, often enacting the entire Kamba Ramayana.

Why It's Endangered:

With the decline of temple patronage and changing entertainment patterns, only a few troupes continue the tradition.

Preservation Status: Endangered; needs archiving, digitization, and revival as a storytelling tool for younger audiences.

3. Chittara Art – Karnataka

A tribal floor and wall painting form by the Devaru women of Shivamogga.

Drawn during festivals, rituals, and life-cycle events, Chittara art uses natural colors from rice paste, wild creepers, and stones, and depicts geometric patterns, fertility symbols, and goddess motifs.

Why It's Endangered:

It’s mostly done by elderly women and is being abandoned by younger generations due to migration and lack of income.

Preservation Status: Critically endangered; urgent need for documentation and economic incentives.

4. Paitkar Painting – Jharkhand

One of the oldest scroll painting traditions of eastern India.

Also called the "scrolls of the Santhals," Paitkar art is made by tribal artists in Amadubi village using natural dyes on paper scrolls. These painted scrolls are narrative tools, often used in singing ballads or storytelling ceremonies.

Why It's Endangered:

Due to lack of awareness and poor marketing infrastructure, many artists have turned to manual labor.

Preservation Status: Severely endangered; requires grassroots promotion and market linkage.

5. Tikuli Art – Bihar

An intersection of fine glasswork, mythology, and miniature art.

Tikuli (meaning "bindi") art uses hardboard, enamel paints, and gold foil to depict themes from epics like the Ramayana or scenes of Bihari daily life. Once practiced on glass bangles, it now survives in miniature paintings with a mix of Mughal finesse and folk storytelling.

Why It's Endangered:

Mass-produced decorative goods and fading patronage have pushed this vibrant art form to the brink.

Preservation Status: Rare; needs promotion in contemporary formats like home décor and gifts.

6. Kaavi Art – Goa & Konkan Region

A unique form of wall mural created using lime plaster and natural red pigment.

Kaavi murals, once common on the walls of Goan temples and homes, are created by etching designs on fresh plaster coated with a red pigment made from laterite soil. The motifs are geometric and floral, heavily influenced by local deities and temple architecture.

Why It's Endangered:

Modern construction and lack of documentation have wiped out this architectural art.

Preservation Status: Nearly extinct; needs architectural conservation efforts and awareness.

7. Laiphadibi Weaving – Manipur

A sacred cloth, symbolic of Manipuri identity and divinity.

Laiphadibi is a traditional shawl woven by women of the Kabui tribe using a backstrap loom. The motifs are symbolic of spiritual deities and nature, woven in patterns that follow ancient oral knowledge systems.

Why It's Endangered:

Younger generations are abandoning the practice due to lack of incentives, cheap machine alternatives, and migration.

Preservation Status: Vulnerable; support needed from cultural institutions and ethical fashion brands.

Why These Art Forms Matter Now More Than Ever

Each of these endangered art forms is a repository of oral history, ecological knowledge, and community identity. When an art form disappears, it’s not just a visual tradition that dies—it’s an entire ecosystem of language, ritual, storytelling, and livelihood.

Yet, many of these art forms lack:

• Institutional support

• Sustainable income models

• Public awareness

• Intergenerational interest

At Alokya, our mission is to revive folk art through contemporary utility—by integrating traditional motifs and stories into eco-conscious lifestyle products. But revival doesn’t rest on one brand—it needs collective awareness and participation.

How You Can Help Preserve These Art Forms

• Buy directly from artisans or fair-trade platforms
• Follow, share, and promote their work online
• Attend local craft exhibitions, haats, and melas
• Support brands like Alokya that partner with artisans
• Advocate for government and institutional funding
• Incorporate folk art into your everyday life—through fashion, home décor, or gifting

Final Thoughts: The Time to Act Is Now

India’s artistic diversity is unmatched—but heritage dies in silence. As urban consumers, creators, and curators, we must actively protect, preserve, and promote these endangered art forms—not as nostalgia, but as a thriving part of modern identity.

The next time you’re gifting, decorating, or curating a product—ask:
“Is this keeping a tradition alive?”

Because beauty, when it tells a story, becomes legacy.