Tikoil village in Nejampur union of Nachol upazila of Chapainawabganj. On paper or official name is Tikoil but it is better known as 'Alpana Village'. A lot of ideas come from the name Alpana, what can be the image of the village. Every house in the village is decorated with alpana. The beauty of the village will captivate the mind.
Color, image, nature, variety of forms - a combination of everything has created a captivating environment. In the rural areas of Bangladesh, backyards and houses are usually kept clean. The clay is coated around the yard, porch and house with a mixture of soil and water. The house looks beautiful. These are done if there is a special event ahead.
But the exception is Alpana village. The people of this village have chosen other ways to keep their houses beautiful. Alpana is painted in the backyard, around the house, on the verandah. Different types of alpana are painted in this village. Every kind of natural painting that can be painted with the touch of a paintbrush adorns every home. Even small children get involved in drawing a lot in the guise of playing. The people of that village have painted the whole village in the colors of imagination. The walls of the earthen house have become colorful with six colors. From generation to generation, brides and girls of the village draw these around the house. The artistic taste and thoughtfulness of the rural area is matched by the practice of this alpana.
Alpana began to practice
According to the locals, the practice of drawing alpana has been going on in this village since time immemorial. Long ago, brides of Hindu families used to paint three white spots on the walls of their houses during various puja festivals and draw beautiful alpana with spots under it. The elders also used to see the beauty of Alpana in the bride's house while visiting the bride for the boy the day before. From then on, the practice of drawing alpana on the walls of the house started.
But now not three drops of white alpana, all the colors of the imagination are used now. Various images and pictures of Kalpana come up in a variety of colors. It looks like a fairyland. Here various types of paintings are painted. All kinds of completely natural colors including red, blue, white are used.
The girls and brides of this village use natural colors in Alpana. It is as if nature itself is arranging posaras of its own color for them. Almost all types of colors can be created in a natural way. Chemical dyes are triumphant, but they still rely on these natural dyes. The people of Alpana village bring out all the colors, forms and juices from nature. Each color has to be created in a different way. The task of creating color is very difficult. However, the people of Alpana village still retain the tradition of making colors.
Color making techniques
The red color is made by soaking chalk or red soil and extracting ‘akhir’. It is also made with Atap rice powder in white color. In addition, if the soil of this region is soaked in water, a white layer falls on the water. White color is also made with this white layer. The paint was mixed with girimati, chalk, turpentine oil, which did not last long. That is why the mixture of dried plums, powdered glue, mango husk powder, girimati, manakchu and banana gum is soaked for a few days to prepare alpana.
What kind of picture is drawn on the canvas of Alpana?
The beauty of rural Bengal including trees, herbs, flowers, fruits, animals, birds, rivers is reflected in every stroke of the brush. Alpana blooms on the walls of the village in all seasons of storm-rain-sun. Many people tie polythene to the rice of the house so that the alpana painted on the walls of the house is not washed away by rain water. When it rains, he opens it, and when it rains again, he wraps the polythene.
Everyone in the village is a craftsman. In the lineage, they have brought the tradition of Alpana so far and kept it alive. Brides and mothers have continued this tradition for generations with the tender touch of their hands. Especially in the houses of the village, women have become one of the skilled painters. The children of the village also play with colors and draw alpana. The people of this village do not have any fatigue to draw Alpana. The weight of age on the body, but the mind is as colorful as that childhood.
Why is Alpana painted?
Who doesn't love to see the house shining beautifully! To decorate the house beautifully, all the walls are decorated with handicrafts. Alpana is painted on the occasion of worship and religious ceremonies to seek the blessings of the gods. Alpana is also painted to enhance the beauty of the house. The children also compete and draw various types of alpana.
Familiarity around the world
'Alpana Gram' has spread its name in the country and abroad due to media and internet. Fascinated by the pictures, many visitors from abroad are coming to see this village. The house of Dasu Varman, a resident of this village, has an inspection book for visitors. Seeing the beauty of Alpana village, the visitors left their comments in the inspection book. Although the village is a place of human habitation, it is not a place of interest, but people from different countries come to see this beautifully decorated village.
How to go
No matter where you are in Bangladesh, you must first come to Chapainawabganj district by bus or train. If you don't get a direct bus to Chapainawabganj, you will get off at Rajshahi bus station. And the train will actually get off at Rajshahi Railway Terminal. The two places are located side by side.
If you walk from Rajshahi railway or bus station, it will take two minutes to reach the railway gate. You can rent an auto for five rupees. Then you can see the bus going to Chapainawabganj standing on the west side of the roundabout at the railway gate. You will get off at Daingpara in Chapainawabganj by bus. Depart from Daingpara for Amanura. From there you can go to your desired destination Tikoil.
Advantages of mud houses
The mud house feels hot in winter and cold in summer. Clay houses do not break easily. The clay house always maintains a moderate temperature. These houses made of clay have survived for ages. Houses are much more durable, strong and durable. The mud house protects from the storm rain. You can sleep peacefully in these houses.
The tradition of drawing alpana from generation to generation is still prevalent. Tikoil is now a colorful town with the hook of a housewife. They do this as part of their daily routine of drawing alpana. No one knows exactly when Alpana started painting. They still maintain the tradition of using natural colors. In the middle of Bangladesh, the village of Tikoil is known as a colorful Alpana village built with a brush stroke.
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