Art & Paintings

Tikuli is an ancient art which originated in Bihar, mainly Patna some 800 years ago. It involved melting of glass in to thin sheets and adding traced pattern in natural colors and thereafter embellishing it with gold foil to create the tikuli or bindi, a dot like embellishment which is worn by married Indian women on their forehead. Tikuli is still the part of tribal jewelry worn by the Santhal tribe of Bihar.Tikulis were mainly adorned by Queens and Aristocrats ladies of yore. Jewels were put on gold leaves according to the status of the women in the society and these beautiful hand crafted Bindis were a proud possession of women in India.Unfortunately this craft form got lost in corridors of industrialization and gave way to modern cloth-cut and plastic bindis mechanically produced in the factories.Tikuli craft, originating from word Tikli or Bindi, is paintings on the glazed surface of hardboard plates. The process of making the plates is very tedious and involves fifteen stages. Firstly, the hardboard is cut into different geometrical shapes of varied sizes. The edges and the surface of the plates are rough. Hence sandpaper is rubbed on it for smoothness. Then the plates are painted with enamel paint and dried in sun for days. Process is repeated after the plates get dried completely.