Women from Sambhuvanipalem village paint in silence as the wintry morning sun slices through trees to fall on their works of art. Dipping the brushes in a coffee concoction, they follow the directions of artist Prathyusha Koduru to make simple patterns and figures of Saura art to compose intricate narratives in light sepia to dark brown. At the end of the day’s session, the women hold out a collection of cloth bags with coffee-tinted Saura paintings, an art practiced by the Saura community — one of the oldest tribes in India residing in the Southern part of Odisha.
The just-concluded workshop at the Eastern Ghats Biodiversity Centre (EGBC) near PM Palem, brought together 10 women from Van Sanrakshan Samiti (VSS) and Eco Development Committee (EDC) of Sambhuvanipalem, who were trained in various art forms by different artists. The initiative was an effort of the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department to train the women in capacity building with an aim to open a workshop and souvenir store within the Eastern Ghats Biodiversity Centre that showcases art and crafts from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. The products done by the villagers during the workshop are currently on display at the EGBC.
