There is a small village in the Nachole Upazila of Chapainawabganj district, Rajshahi, known as Tikoil Gram. This place is popularly known as Alpana gram because house walls, floors, and yards of this village are painted with different colours during traditional events, which makes this village stand out from other typical remote areas.
Usually, the villagers maintain the mud houses by coating the walls and floors with layers of Etel Mati (Clayey soil) mixed with water periodically, which make the houses stronger and keep them clean and enhance their beauty.
The Tikoil villagers discovered another way of decorating and beautifying their homes, Alpana. None could say exactly when this tradition started. But according to the people of Alpana Gram, they've been seeing their ancestors practising Alpana since forever, passing the artistic mastery from generation to generation.
The main artisans of these artworks are the daughters and daughters-in-law of Hindupara in the village. The Hindu families mainly practise this ritual during holy or spiritual occasions like Puja, weddings, or any social functions. They paint the walls and floors and decorate their village like a new bride. These beautiful artworks represent the cultural and aesthetic realm of the villagers of Tikoil which makes them unique from any other village. In fact, there was a trend to assess the aesthetic quality of Alpana while looking for a bride in their houses.
Previously, the Alpana was done only with white colour with three dots and some drawings beneath the dots. However, with time, all colours of the rainbow have been incorporated into the Alpana, including white and different designs made with those colours. These eye-captivating Alpanas show evidence of the villagers' creativity and artistic taste.
One speciality about Alpana village is that the residents make the colours naturally with organic ingredients. They extract organic colourants from nature and seal them in the art of Alpana, spreading beauty and joy for the villagers. For instance, red colour is extracted from limestone.
Additionally, they use Atap Chal for making white colour. They can also make white colour from the upper layer of the clayey soil of this area when soaked in water for a certain period. For more colours, they mix Girimati, turpentine oil, outer layers of mango powder, banana tree blends, etc. All these ingredients make the Alpana look vibrant and last longer.
The beauty of nature, flowers, fruits, birds, plants, herbs, rivers -- everything is drawn in Alpana art. The colours and art are visible from a distance, and they shine every season. People tie up polythene so the monsoon rain doesn't wash away the colours.
Creating Alpana seems like a festival for the villagers. They participate in the ancestral tradition happily. From young people to age-old veterans, everyone joins hands in actualising the artwork before festive occasions.
Most of the Alpana is done during the Puja and religious occasions to gain the blessings of the gods. The followers of the Hindu religion continue the artwork to please their gods as well as to keep peace of mind. This is another reason for doing the Alpana apart from enhancing the beauty of the village.
The Alpana Gram has now gained worldwide attention as a tourist spot. The number of tourists coming to visit this extraordinary village is increasing every year, including a good number of foreign tourists. To let the Alpanas keep spreading their charm even during the night, the DC of Chapainawabganj district installed Solar lights in this village as an appreciation for the villagers' art and artistic mind.
How to visit Alpana Gram
You can visit this place by hopping on a train or bus of Rajshahi from Dhaka any time of the year. You can also directly come to Chapainawabganj if buses are available in your region. From the Rajshahi bus terminal or railway station, you will take the bus to Chapainawabganj and get down at Daingpara. There you can start your journey to the desired Alpana gram.
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