Pithoro is a style of wall-painting practiced by the tribal people of
Gujarat. The paintings are a means of appeasing their local deity, Babo Pithoro. The paintings are used only for worship.
Pithoro paintings are done by professional artists belonging to the Rathawa caste. The paintings are done on the walls of a house in reverence to the god to seek his blessings to rid the house off every evil. First, the surface of the walls is coated with a plaster of clay and cow dung by young unmarried girls. The actual painting is done on a Wednesday. The walls are whitewashed the day before, on Tuesday. White dry clay is brought for this in five new baskets covered with five pieces of new cloth. Since the artists are professional and the work intricate, the paintings are rather expensive.
