Department of English Studies, Central University of Jharkhand, India.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21659/jsae/v3n1/v3n106
[Article History: Received: 15 April 2026. Accepted: 25 September 2026. Published: 05 October 2026]
Abstract
Sohrai and Khovar paintings of Jharkhand have deep indigenous and ecological roots. The paintings exhibit the relationship between traditional art practices and cultural identity. This relationship is visible through symbols used in the paintings as well as in the intricate process of making them. The communal bond gets strengthened when women from the indigenous community create art on the walls of their houses and sing folk songs together. However, modern architectural changes are replacing mud houses with concrete buildings. This has led to a decline in the desirability of old art practices and performances. To counter this challenge, the artist community associated with the Sanskriti Museum and Art Gallery has channelled the method of public remembering to revive their social and historical identity with an unequivocal zeal. The women belonging to the tribal communities residing in nearby villages restarted their painting journey with Bulu Imam, the founder of the museum. Over time, they established that memory works as an articulation of performance rooted in lived experiences and cultural knowledge passed down by the ancestors to the community members. This research uses the conceptual framework of “collective memory” developed by Halbwachs. The study illustrates the indigenous community’s resilience in the revival of art heritage using the method of collective remembering. The findings of the study reveal how the art practitioners have reworked the medium of these paintings over time, which has strengthened their archival and preservation processes.
Keywords: : Kohima, urban mediation, Naga identity, Second World War, postcolonialism.
