With endeavours of artists like Neelam Nirad, Jadopatia is finally gaining ground, says Mohit Mishra.
Recapturing a Fading Vision
Within the rich mosaic of Indian culture, where each region has a story of its own to tell through its art, the Jadopatia School of painting from the Santal Parganas of Jharkhand is a singular visual language. Born out of myth, ritual and word of mouth, the indigenous tradition of scroll painting was on the brink of disappearance. With the tireless endeavours of some artists and cultural resurgence activists, Jadopatia is finally gaining its position in modern-day art. One of them is Neelam Nirad and her guru and husband Dr RK Nirad who, although not from the tribal community, are major champions of this art form today.
A Tradition of Myth and Magic
The name Jadopatia has its origins in two factors: Jado, the name of a sub-group of the Santal tribe who were traditionally associated with this art form, and Patiya meaning scroll. Hence, Jadopatia simply means “the scroll of the Jado people.” Gradually, though, another interpretation arose, associating the name Jadopatia with the Hindi term “Jadoo” meaning magic, creating the image of the Jadopatias as “magical painters” bringing myths to life through pigment and brush.
These scrolls have been used for ages not only as works of art but also as ritual aids. Traditionally, the paintings were done on long pieces of paper or cloth scrolls, depicting tribal creation mythology, folk tales, death ceremonies and even moral fables. When a person in a village dies, a Jadopatia painter documents the lifeand spiritual journey of the deceased. Interestingly,they would first leave the eyes of the portrait blank —only painting them subsequently after telling the story, metaphorically bringing back life to the deceased soul.
This reminds one of the 20th century Italian painter Amedeo Modigliani, who often painted figures withblank or incomplete eyes, a hallmark of his style. He believed eyes were “windows to the soul,” and onlypainted them fully when he felt he truly knew the subject. Jadopatias were not only painters but alsoentertainers — storytellers who would roll out the illustrated scroll as singing and unfolding the stories, rendering the experience immersive.
Revival and Reinvention
Around 1990s, the art form, as with so many of the indigenous ways, had almost completely vanished. The younger generation of tribal had no interest or motivation to keep it going. In villages, fear and mistrust clung to contact with outsiders trying to document or revive the art. “When we first went to meet them, they would hide inside their homes,” says the artist Neelam Nirad. “They were afraid we would lie to or hurt them. It took lengthy interviews, pictures, and numerous visits to gain their confidence.”
Dr RK Nirad, who is both a cultural historian and the artist’s mentor, is instrumental in establishing the tradition more formally and rechristening it as Jadopatia. He is responsible for creating a platform where traditional artists and non-traditional artists cancome together, showcase their work, and impart their learning. The spirit of collaboration was imperative, given that a lot of the original practitioners had transitioned to other types of labour to survive.
In spite of being an outsider to the tribal community and a female in a man’s world, Neelam Nirad paved her own way. “Earlier, it was primarily men who used to do this art,” she observes. “But I have devoted myself not just to keeping it alive but developing it.”
Artistic Process and Evolution
Now, she works in both traditional and modern mediums. In traditional work, she creates natural colours through old techniques — green using leaves pigment, red using flowers, black using soot or carbon, orange using palash flowers, and brown using stones. The medium or glue is usually prepared with bel (wood apple) or sahjan (drumstick tree) resin. Scrolls are also still sewn by hand with cloth or paper, respecting theoriginal form. Currently, she has accommodated newermaterials — painting on canvas, handmade paper,acrylic boards and using commercial brushes and colours only when necessary. Themes are still rooted in Santal ethos.
Creation myths or Karaam Binti, seasonal ceremonies such as Sohrai and Baha, and symbolic flora and fauna — all still find a place on her canvas. Even when coated onto coasters or digital prints, the spiritual and cultural depth is retained. She also makes a difference between Jadopatia and other scroll art traditions suchas Bengal’s Patachitra or Bihar’s Madhubani. “The style and the people are different,” she points out, “but just like those forms gained international recognition, Jadopatia will be equally popular.”
From Margins to the Mainstream
Jadopatia’s path from oblivion to acclaim is one of cultural tenacity and artistic determination. The initiatives of individuals such as Neelam Nirad, who received fellowship by the Indian government, and mentors such as Dr Nirad, have not only preserved the tradition but brought it to a broader audience — from government-funded festivals to national art museums.
Neelam Nirad has the vision of a dedicated Kala Gram — an artists’ village where artists can reside, work and impart their knowledge, making heritage a source of livelihood. She further supports the inclusion of indigenous art forms in school curriculums and CSR programs to promote them. “If we can revive Warli and Gond, why not Jadopatia?” she argues, with justifiable hope. In an era when digitalization and urbanization risk obliterating folk memories, Jadopatia reminds us that real magic is in stories well told, brushstrokes well drawn, and traditions well passed on.
