Ashtimki painting

{{Short description|Nepalese painting style}}

File:Ashtimki.jpg]]

Ashtimki Chitra ({{Langx|ne|अष्टिम्की चित्र|lit=Ashtimki painting}}) is a type of painting drawn on the day of Ashtimki festival celebrated by the Tharu community in the western region of Nepal.[https://archive.today/20121220070738/http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/mag/yubamanch.detail.php?article_id=77&cat_id=1 About Ashthimki and Ashtimki Picture], The Rising Nepal{{Cite web |title=Ashtimki, an Ancient Form of Tharu Wall Painting |url=http://ecs.com.np/features/ashtimki-an-ancient-form-of-tharu-wall-painting |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=ECS NEPAL |language=en}}

Significance

The painting is made on the wall of the house using home-made colors that make the painting unique and beautiful. It is done on the day of Lord Krishna's birthday, Krishna Janmashtami at Tharu elder Mahatawa's house.{{Cite web |title=यसरी मनाइन्छ थारु समुदायमा कृष्ण जन्माष्टमी अर्थात अष्टिम्की (फोटो फिचर) |url=https://www.onlinekhabar.com/2017/08/617479 |access-date=2022-06-21 |website=Online Khabar |language=en-US}}

The colors are made from red clay (red), bean leaves (green) and burnt wild grass (black).{{Cite web |last=Chaudhary |first=Sanjib |date=2023-09-05 |title=Ashtimki |url=https://askmeaboutnepal.com/ashtimki/ |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=Ask Me About Nepal |language=en-US}}

Symbolism

The painting depicts the story of evolution.{{Cite web|url=http://annapurnapost.com/news/107053|title=अष्टिम्कीको अन्तर्य|website=The Annapurna Post|accessdate=13 March 2019}} The main components of the painting are Kanha (Krishna), a kadam tree, a boat, fish, crabs, tortoise, monkeys and other animals, a ten headed demon (Ravana), Pandava, Draupadi, a sun and a moon. Lately, the artists have been adding other animals to the painting. These characters are marked with tika on the painting as the ritual function of the Ashtimki festival.{{Cite web |title=थारू समुदायमा अष्टिम्की अनुष्ठान |url=https://annapurnapost.com/news/77464-77464 |access-date=2022-06-21 |website=थारू समुदायमा अष्टिम्की अनुष्ठान |language=en}}

See also

References

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Category:Nepalese art

Category:Tharu culture

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