India is a land with rich cultural heritage. Various forms of art and craft are integral part of our heritage. Some of them are thousands of years old and many of them are gradually being forgotten due to lack of promotion.

The tribal art of Saurachitra from the tribal heartland of Odisha is one such exquisite art. At ancient times, saurachitra paintings were normally found on the walls of the homes of the Saura tribes.

Reference to Sauras, one of the ancient tribes of India, can be found in the epic of Ramayana, in the story of Lord Rama and Sabari, the Saura devotee. The Saura tribe of Odisha always had a rich tradition of art that was influenced by their daily lives, spiritual beliefs and environment.

From the walls of tribal homes, saura painting has moved to home decors,  fabrics and textiles. Normally they depict the daily life in a tribal village and the surrounding nature and animals.