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Designation plates of police offices, stations in Almora to be decorated with Aipan folk art
In a first of its kind initiative, Almora police are all set to decorate designation plates of its offices and police stations with Aipan folk art of Uttarakhand in an attempt to encourage the folk art of the hills and provide self-employment to artisans
In a first of its kind initiative, Almora police are all set to decorate designation plates of its offices and police stations with Aipan folk art of Uttarakhand in an attempt to encourage the folk art of the hills and provide self-employment to artisans.
“We decided to decorate designation plates with the folk art of the hills -Aipan- leaving behind the usual way of preparing the plates. We have prepared such plates with the help of folk artists, particularly women artists,” said Pankaj Bhatt, senior superintendent of police, Almora.
Aipan is an established folk art from Kumaon in Uttarakhand. It is drawn mainly on special occasions like weddings, festivals and other household ceremonies and rituals. It is said that such an art form on houses bring good fortune and deters evil from entering the houses. Earlier, it was drawn mainly on walls and floors of houses but now it is also drawn on objects of daily use and clothing.
Aipan is painted at the entrance of the house, in the courtyard and on the walls of the house. The colour for the art is made from rice flour, geru (brick colour) and other materials used in worship. The art form has great social, religious and cultural importance in the hill state.
Bhatt said, “We conceived the idea of using Aipan during the Kumbh fair when we were asked to provide bronze pots decorated with Aipan art by our higher authorities. We thought that if we apply this traditional art on designation plates, it will not only encourage these folk artists but will also give our police stations and offices a Kumaoni cultural look.”
“These plates have already been put up at different branches of the police offices and soon they will reach our police stations in the district,” Bhatt said.
Photo: Designation plate of SSP using Aipan artform .
Designation plates prepared for distribution in Almora district’s police offices and stations.
