Gond paintings are a folk art form practised by one of the largest tribes of India, i.e. the Gondi people. The word ‘Gond’ comes from the Dravidian expression ‘Kond’, which means ‘green mountain’. Gond art predominantly originated in Madhya Pradesh but is also popular in regions like Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha.
The history of the Gond tribe dates back to 1400 years. The tribe has an old tradition of practising expressive art like painting and music. The Gond people believe that viewing a good image brings good luck; therefore, they paint their house walls and floors with different motifs and tattoos. The tribe used Gond paintings to record their history and culture too.
The Gond tribe believes that every element of nature, be it the river, sky, trees or hills, are inhabited by spirits, and everything is thus holy and sacred. So the artists paint them to show love and pay respect. Gond paintings represent the connection of the tribe with their natural environment. They take inspiration from the myths and legends of India and scenes from the contemporary life of people. Gond paintings also showcase abstract concepts like emotions, dreams and imagination. Pardhan Gonds are accomplished musicians and their paintings often portray the stories of their songs too.
