Envisage Institute Of Design : LIPPAN KAAM Best Fashion and Interior Design Institute in Borivali (west), “Envisage Institute of Design”

"LIPPAN KAAM"

Best Fashion and Interior Design Institute in Borivali (west), “Envisage Institute of Design”

It is a traditional mural craft of Kutch. If you travel through Kutch and as you make your way through the vast stretches of the Indian side of the world's greatest salt desert - The Great Rann of Kutch found in India and Pakistan, you will come across circular mud houses known as 'Bhungas' with walls beautifully decorated in mostly circular mirror work. This is Lippan Kaam or also known as Chittar Kaam.

Traditionally it was made using dung of a camel as a binding agent as it is rich in fibers. The clay used is mud which has been passed through a sieve to obtain fine particles that mix more easily. Equal proportions of dung and clay are mixed and kneaded to form the dough used for Lippan Kaam or the husk of bajri i.e. millet is also used as an alternative to the dung. While the dung attracts termites, the husk does not. Small portions of the dough are taken and shaped into cylinders of varying thickness by rolling between the palms or on the floor.

This is then pasted onto the moist surface i.e. the wall or wooden panel on which the decorative artwork is to be done.

Each artwork usually starts by using the dough to first create lines that define the boundary of the artwork. The Lippan on the walls, partitions, doorways, lintels, niches, and the floors of the Bhunga. It also elaborates bas relief decorations that consists of okli textures created by the impressions of fingers and palms and sculpted forms that are inlaid with mirrors. The mirrors used are called aabhla and come in various shapes - round, diamond and triangular.

Though the authenticity of lippan kaam lies in a completed piece that is all white or in shades of neutrals, bright colors like red and green are sometimes painted on the dried clay work. The motifs used for this art form are peacock, camel, elephant, symbolic temple, mango tree and other examples of life in Kutch.

The craftsmen are now teaching students to adapt the design on a piece of plywood. The earlier dried camel/donkey dung base is pungent smelling. The introduction of a new base material is helping Lippan Kaam spread across geographies. In fact, the art now finds a pride of place in modern homes/workspaces in the form of wall décor or home décor pieces.

If you too wish to learn this traditional mural art form you can get in touch with us for our creative workshops!

Now, sharing with you are some of the glimpses of our student's work from our past Lippan Kaam workshop and their take on this rich culture.