Rajsthani mandane

Mandanas are drawn both in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. In Rajasthan they are drawn both on the floor and on the wall, whereas in Madhya Pradesh they are mostly drawn on the floor. Mandana both refers to a specific form of drawing and also to the act of drawing as in chitra mandana, to draw or paint. Mandana derives from the word mandan which means ornamentation or decoration. Mandanas are drawn by women using kharia(chalk solution) and geru (red ochre). They are drawn on the walls and floors of the houses, which are first plastered with clay and cow-dung mixture. Mandanas are festival decorations in line drawing and are iconic representation of various gods and goddesses. They are at once the seat on which a specific deity is invoked and also a symbolic representation of the deity. They are also indicative of the presence of the deity. Mandanas are drawn on the occasion of religious festivals and fasts and also during any auspicious ceremony at home concerning birth and marriage or a specially organized religious worship.