Books / Publications

Dhulichitra: Folk Floor Designs of India

India, a vast and varied country with a rich folk cultural heritage, is blessed with many floor design traditions. Dr. Rekha Bhatnagar’s romance with the beauty of visual folk expressions of rural India began in Udaipur, Rajasthan, during her days as an art student in the 1960s. It led to a doctoral thesis and eventually inspired her to write her first book: Dhulichitra — Folk Floor Designs of India.

Photograph of Dhulichitra book with floor decorations, earthen lamps and fallen leaves around
Above: Dhulichitra Book

In Dhulichitra, she brings to the readers a remarkable collection of 1,000 folk floor designs meticulously researched and presented, with her own insights into the art form. She vividly describes the techniques from four major folk floor art traditions of India — Mandana from Rajasthan, Rangoli from Maharashtra, Alpana from Bengal and Kolam, Onapukkalam and Rangavalli from southern India.

Dhulichitra book page with many Mandana folk art motifs in black and white
Above: Sun and Moon motifs from the 'Mandana' designs section
Dhulichitra book page with many Alpana folk art motifs in black and white
Above: Some Folk, Feet and Conch motifs from the 'Alpana' designs section
Dhulichitra book page with many Rangoli folk art motifs in black and white
Above: 20 dot based motifs from the 'Rangoli' designs section
Dhulichitra book page with many Kolam folk art motifs in black and white
Above: 9, 10, 11 and 13 dot based motifs from the 'Kolam' designs section

Succintly written in both Hindi and English languages, the book is a comprehensive resource on folk floor art traditions of India. It gives background information on each genré, shares mythological anecdotes and features step-by-step, how-to-do instructions. Meanings behind the designs are also explored in a fascinating chapter on Symbolism. Besides folk art, the book is also a rich source of knowledge on Indian culture, traditions, religion and mythology.

Dhulichitra book page layout with instructions, in black and white
Above: A page with 'Rangoli' making instructions
Dhulichitra book layout showing text and related graphics in black and white
Above: A page from the chapter on Symbolism

An extensive Colour Plates section at the end of the book showcases several photographs of floor designs for each genré. For Rangoli in particular, a range of colour combinations have been provided for readers to experiment with, along with basic colour theory.

Dhulichitra book page layout with several colour photographs
Above: A page from the Colour Plates section featuring 'Mandana' designs
Dhulichitra book page layout showing different colour combinations for the same floor design
Above: A page from 'Rangoli' Colour Combinations section

The author hopes that the book will help in documentation, preservation and continuation of these remarkable floor design traditions. It should be of interest to and inspire students and practitioners of art and design, homemakers, or just anyone with a keenness for art, aesthetics and culture.


Book Details / Specifications

How to Purchase

Currently, Dhulichitra can be shipped only across India. To get your copy, kindly connect with Dr. Rekha Bhatnagar via the Contact Form on this website, or buy it via Amazon India.

BUY VIA AMAZON.IN

Dhulichitra FaceBook Page

Dhulichitra book has a FaceBook page: FaceBook.com/Dhulichitra where you can get in touch with the author, request to purchase the book also learn more about floor design traditions of India.

Dhulichitra on Instagram

Stay updated and learn more about floor design traditions of India through illustrations, photographs and fact-filled descriptions. Follow Dhulichitra on Instagram: Instagram.com/Dhulichitra