Overview
Alpana, also spelt alpona (Bengali: আলপনা), is a Bengali folk art style comprising coloured motifs, patterns and symbols painted on floors and walls. Traditionally, the designs are made using paints prepared from rice flour, and are created on religious and ceremonial occasions. The practice is common across Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal.
Among Hindu families, alpanas often incorporate religious motifs and symbolic designs associated with religious austerity, festivals and specific deities. Among Santal tribal communities, alpana designs tend to feature geometric or symbolic patterns drawn from the natural world. The art form has traditionally been practised by rural women, who pass on the motifs and techniques across generations.
Alpana motifs have exerted a notable influence on modern Indian art. Their visual vocabulary has been drawn upon by artists such as Jamini Roy, Abanindranath Tagore and Devi Prasad, and is also seen in the early illustrations of the film-maker Satyajit Ray. This engagement reflects a broader interest among modern Bengali artists in indigenous folk traditions as a source of artistic inspiration.
In contemporary Bengal, alpanas continue to be created as part of religious and cultural festivals, including Durga Puja and Pohela Boishakh, as well as during wedding celebrations. They are drawn in both private homes and public spaces, marking thresholds, courtyards and ceremonial areas during these occasions.