There is a belief prevalent in the Gond community that viewing good artwork brings good luck. It was this belief that had led the Gond community long ago, to practice Digna art on the walls and floors of their dwellings. As a young girl, Budhawariya learnt Digna art from her mother, and drew colourful hues of mythological iconography on the walls of her home whenever there was a festival coming up. She grew up learning about the spirits of the forest and the myriad stories of her tribal community.

She relocated to Bhopal with her husband after marriage and had to work as a house-help to sustain her family. However, the hardship of earning a living did not deter her artistic pursuit. While she was in Bhopal, Budhawariya undertook training from the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED), where she not only honed her painting skills, but also learnt more about the tools of the trade, systematic management of her skill and different approaches to marketing it. She attended exhibitions and seminars organised by government and private bodies too.

By the time she was 20, Budhawariya was painting on canvases. She travelled to Kolkata, Jaipur, Khajuraho and many other cities to exhibit her work and is particularly fond of recalling the time she spent in Kolkata in 2006, where she and other Gond artists worked on a unique Durga Puja Pandal, hallmark of the biggest festivity in Bengal. Her art was getting appreciated everywhere – even the National Craft Museum of Delhi bought one of her iconic paintings.

Budhawariya is still a simple woman with simple needs and works hard to make ends meet. Her art is her joy and pride and she dives into it more often than not. Each painting she sells is an assurance and morale booster.

We at KraftKissa are extremely fortunate to have been introduced to Budhawariya’s work by a friend. You will find two of her paintings here with a promise of many more to follow.