Know Everything about Folk Renaissance in India

Prior to the arrival of the British in India, the nation had its own way of indulging in any art form. Be it the dancing lady of the Indian Valley Civilization and Bhimbetka cave paintings or how we used to paint our homes and dress up a certain way, everything transformed because of British influence. As a form of retaliation, Indian artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries from all walks of life, like Indian literature, history, philosophy, and art, started exploring the long-lost and least preserved art forms. And that is when folk renaissance in India was introduced.

What is Renaissance

Derived from the dead language- Latin and later adopted by the modern European language- French, Renaissance simply means rebirth or revival. The word is taking the rounds around the globe, justifying any art form and giving it a new life. And that goes for Indian folk renaissance as well that was popularized by Jamini Roy the father of folk renaissance in India. His paintings became synonymous with the Indian folk renaissance and also made him a recipient of the Padma Bhushan Award in 1954.

What Indian Folk Renaissance Inculcates

When the old Indian folk was revived during the Renaissance period, it had various branches that were covered under the umbrella term of Modern Indian Art. Here is a dissection of the same:

1. Intellectual Curiosity

Being the centre of the Indian Renaissance, intellectual curiosity and inquiry were the major fueling factors behind the movement. Indian culture, history, and philosophy went under the lens of reinterpretation where intellects, artists, political leaders, and writers of the Indian freedom struggle did their best to justify the cause.

2. Promotion of Education

Education is always considered one of the most powerful tools to empower individuals and society as a whole. In order to stimulate critical thinking and constant learning, various modern and traditional education institutions were established in cities like Madras, Calcutta, and Delhi. Through these, a sense of cultural pride was instigated among the masses.

3. Literature and Media

As these two fields are considered the most common and foremost channels to spread knowledge, they were widely used to convey new ideas about the movement and keep the audience aware and engaged. This is where Jamini Roy paintings also came to the limelight along with other forms of media that include magazines, newspapers, literature, and whatnot.

4. Movement of Reforms

This was the time when various reforms also came into being to give society, a modern perspective. From religious practices to social norms, many things were eradicated, like sati and child marriage. Whereas the introduction of widow remarriage transformed many lives. Its change bringers include Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Swami Dayananda Saraswati, and many more.

5. New Life of Art and Music

The introduction of the folk renaissance in India revived the interest of many intellects and artists in bringing Indian art forms like music and paintings to the forefront of cultural significance. Many of these people went the extra mile to preserve, as well as promote Indian culture via various art forms like classical music, dance, and similar cultural practices.

Conclusion

Renaissance is not a complex or new term that is hard to understand, it is just like giving something lost, another chance to gain its identity. And that’s what happened with Indian folk practices. From art and music to literature and education, colonial India witnessed the re-emergence of its heritage and post-colonial India is still preserving it in art galleries, be it modern or traditional. These galleries work like a mirror into the past where we find art and artists revolutionised the Indian way of thinking and existing.