Celebrate This Vaisakhi with Traditional Chowk Poorana Floor Painting in the Morning

This year , vaisakhi festival of the punjabis falls on April 14 with a call to revive the Chowk Poorna floor paintings (see inset collage). Chowk Poorana is a form of folk art prevalent in areas such as Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. In Punjab, chowk-poorana encompasses both floor art and mud wall paintings made with chalk paste. This practice is primarily performed by women during various festivals and holds significant cultural value.

In courtyards, this art is crafted using a cloth or twig fashioned into a brush along with chalk paste. The designs typically include motifs of trees, flowers, ferns, creepers, plants, peacocks, palanquins, and geometric patterns, complemented by vertical, horizontal, and diagonal lines. These creations add to the festive atmosphere.

The term chowk-poorana comes from two words: 'Chowk,' which means square, and 'poorana,' meaning to fill. This art form highlights folk mud wall decorations from Punjab, usually made for celebrations or festivals. Hasan (1998) notes that between 1849 and 1949 A.D., decorative designs were frequently painted on mud walls, sometimes featuring birds or animals.

Since this art is applied to mud walls, it is typically refreshed two or more times a year. Occasionally, you may find this art on brick walls that have been coated with lime. Sadly, this tradition is diminishing due to cultural changes in Punjab. Nevertheless, traditional folk art can still be seen on the walls of some mud houses.