The Tree of Life is a recurring motif in many arts, including in the folk arts of India. It is there everywhere: in a Lambani wall hanging, in a Madhubani painting, in Gond art, in Bengal’s kanthas.

The trees are many. They contain deep symbolism, experts feel, being embodiments of various energies, celestial and vital. The stylisations are many too, specific to each craft. And so are the species, as many trees are represented, from the real to the mythical, from the ashwattha to the kalpataru, the divine tree that grants wishes.   

Some ancient Indian texts look at creation itself as a tree. But even without the complex layers of symbolism, it is always heartening to see this motif. The tree, whatever else it is, is a giver of life. It is a beautiful thing, to be celebrated in every way, including being woven into our textiles and our imagination.