Vanishing Art: The Decline of Traditional Tharu Wall Murals in Kanchanpur

Kanchanpur. The intricate murals carved into mud walls were once the hallmark of Tharu villages in Kanchanpur. The figures of animals, birds, deities, and scenes of daily life etched onto the walls at the entrance of homes reflected the Tharu community's culture, reverence for nature, and lifestyle. However, with changing times and the growing trend of constructing concrete houses, this traditional folk wall art of the Tharu community is now on the verge of extinction.

Previously, Tharu households would feature paintings of trees, brides and grooms in palanquins, elephants, horses, peacocks, birds, farmers plowing with oxen, humans, fish, turtles, spotted deer, tigers, bears, and deities like Ganesh and Shiva-Parvati. Women were particularly skilled in creating these artworks.