Santhal Tribal Art Dumka Santhal Pargana Jharkhand

The Santhal community of Dumka, Godda, Deoghar, and Pakur districts in the Santhal Parganas of Jharkhand have a rich tradition of visual art expressed in wall painting, body art, and ritual object decoration. Santhal wall paintings feature stylised animals (deer, elephants, birds), nature spirits, and hunting and harvest scenes using earth pigments applied with fingers or leaf brushes on plastered walls. Santhal women create geometric body painting designs for festivals. Contemporary Santhal artists produce canvas paintings, fabric prints, and woven items that incorporate traditional motifs. The Jharkhand Tribal Welfare Department and the Jharkhand State Craft Development Corporation support Santhal artists with training workshops and craft fair participation. Santhal tribal art is distinct from Sohrai and Jadupatua traditions practiced by other communities in the same region.