Chhota Udaipur: Rathwa Pithora Art Capital of Gujarat

Chhota Udaipur district is the heartland of Rathwa tribal pithora painting, one of India's most internationally recognised tribal art forms. The district has more pithora artists per square kilometre than anywhere else in India. Rathwa villages surrounding Chhota Udaipur town are the source communities for most pithora paintings seen in craft exhibitions, museums, and collections worldwide. The tribal art museum in Chhota Udaipur town, established by the Tribal Research and Training Institute (TRTI), displays exceptional examples of traditional pithora along with documentation of the ritual context. Annual Pithora mela (festival) at Chhota Udaipur brings together artists and buyers. Contemporary Rathwa artists have experimented with pithora on paper, canvas, and cloth for non-ritual sale, generating significant income, while traditional wall pithora continues as a living ritual practice in homes. The National Crafts Museum in New Delhi maintains a permanent Chhota Udaipur pithora collection.