One of the largest tribal communities in the world, the Gonds are found mainly in the forests of central and southern India. They are known for their distinctive art forms with vibrant depictions of local flora, fauna and gods, using natural bright colours. These are derived from charcoal, coloured soil, plant sap, leaves and cow dung. This aesthetic art form is created by putting together dots and lines, and the imaginative use of the line imparts a sense of movement and symmetry to still images. In the eyes of a Gond artist, everything is sacred and intimately connected to nature. The paintings are thus an offering in worship of nature, as also a mode of seeking protection and warding off evil. Gond art comes with the belief that a good image brings good luck. Hence these tribals decorate their houses and floors lavishly with traditional images.
The rich, aesthetic work of Gond artists is being exhibited worldwide today. Publishing houses like Tara also promote the artists through their beautiful books, telling their stories through their eyes. These two books from Tara look at the lives of tribals in the Gond forests through the eyes of Gond artists, who have their own individual styles of painting. The work of these artists is rooted in their folk tales and culture, and storytelling is a strong element of every painting.