SRIKAKULAM: As modernisation is taking its toll on all aspects of life, the tribal art is also slowly and steadily slipping into oblivion. Once considered an integral part of tribal culture, their art has few takers now. Exposed to rapid changes in lifestyle, there is an incredible change in the way tribals are celebrating festivals and weddings. The primitive Savara tribe of Srikakulam district, which houses the highest number of the tribe, were famous for their own art Edisinga, locally known as Tongseng. The ethnic art done with eco-friendly colours and portraying several aspects of the tribe such as their cohabitation with wildlife, agriculture, conjugal relationship, weapons and hunting, had a glorious past.
However, the Savaras, despite being in large numbers, could not preserve the art form. Out of total 97,010 tribal population in the district, the Savaras account for 92,165. The other tribes are Chenchu, Gadaba, Porja and Khonds, according to 2001 census.
According to the elders of the Savara tribe, the decline of the art began with the use of chemical colours. "Earlier, we used four colours- coal for black, turmeric for yellow, rice for white and cow dung or red mud powder for background colours in the art which was drawn by men only. In order to continue the native touch to art, we would use forest produce and tribal cultivated products. However, now the concept has gone with the emergence of new varieties of colour," said Savara Chalam, an artist. He also attributed the downfall of the art form to increasing conversion of the tribals to Christianity along hill slope agency pockets. It has come to such a stage that there are only 45 tribal artists existing in the district. Since the art was a way of celebrating marriage, rituals and festivals, a change in religion has affected the patronage of the art considerably, he added. "Of the existing artists, who learnt the art from their ancestors, some have died while others turned to Christianity leaving Edisinga to disappear", said an artist.
When there is no celebration of Chukka, seed festival, Agam (observed in remembrance of ancestors), which are occasions to patronise the art, the tradition has disappeared. Now it is virtually impossible to revive the art as the new generation is not interested in it, he added. However, the Savara tribe, who approve widow marriage and permit divorce on the ground of impotency, is being encouraged by the Indira Ganhi Rastriya Manava Sangrahanalay (IGRMS), an autonomous organisation of Ministry of Culture, in reviving the art. IGRMS is inviting the Srikakulam Savara tribes to train the present generation in the art form.
But, even while IGRMS invited about ten artists this year, only one of them agreed to teach the art while others rejected on the grounds of language barrier as they were invited to Mysore in Karnataka.