Painters at the sohrai workshop in Ranchi on Thursday. (Hardeep Singh)

After file covers and bangles, sohrai paintings, an ancient art form of the state, may feature in a big way on apparel and even interiors in coming days.

This was apparent after a two-day workshop on sohrai painting concluded at the Ranchi centre of International Institute of Fashion Technology (IIFT) on Thursday.

The workshop was organised by IIFT in association with Camlin and was attended by about 25 students of the institute pursuing interior design, fashion design and apparel merchandising.

Vinod Ranjan, a local artist who conducted the workshop gave a presentation to introduce the students to this art form, covering its history, painting techniques and design used. The students then practised on handmade paper and fabrics.

Sohrai paintings are done by village women of Chotanagpur region during the festival of the same name.

The villagers paint the mud walls of their huts afresh with a coat of dudhimitti (an yellowish white mud) solution. The women then paint pictures on these walls that depict plants and animals such as cows and horses and also fishes and birds.

Red, black and white colours are popular as they stand out strikingly against the freshly painted mud walls. Earlier, they would use indigenous colours made from locally available materials and paint with a dantun (a crushed twig). Now, synthetic colours and paintbrushes are used.

Though this art form is popular over a vast tract in the region, sohrai paintings of Hazaribagh are very attractive. Outside world started taking interest in it after conservationist Bulu Imam wrote some articles about sohrai art.

“This unique art form belongs to this state and I will try to use it on fabric in future,” said Manohar Kumar, a student who attended the workshop.