Santhal Woman Preparing Wall for Sohrai Painting in Bahera Village

24-Mar-2026

This image is from Bahera village in Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand. In the photograph, a woman from the Santhal tribe is seen plastering the outer wall of her home. She is climbing with the support of a wooden stick to smoothen the upper portion of the wall. Traditionally, before creating Sohrai art, the wall is carefully prepared. First, the wall is coated with a layer of cow dung, followed by an application of clay. This process creates a clean, strong, and even surface as the base. Once the wall is completely dry and smooth, the Sohrai painting is then created on it. This kind of preparation ensures that the Sohrai painting appears more defined and visually striking.