A lesser popular but traditional art of decorating the walls and floors with red clay and cow dung is Mandana painting. Sanskrit has dual meaning for the word Mandana one is to discover and other is to decorate. To begin with the area where the painting has to be done namely the wall or the floor will be covered with a paste made from the mixture of red clay and cow dung. Once it dries up, the designs are made with white paint.

Cow dung is considered very scared as per the Indian culture. It is believed to ward off evil eye and any impurities from the house. Hence, it is seen as an art and also a way of having positive energy around the house. Another unique aspect of this art is, mostly Mandana paintings has more involvement from the women folks. It is also a very good example of team work. These designs are done by a group and yet are intricately painted without any flaws. As a result of the team work the painting takes less time and is a true masterpiece.

Meena tribes from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh are the founders of this art. Generation to generation, it has been passed on, the reason why it has managed to survive centuries. A must see if you plan to take a trip to Rajasthan or Madhya Pradesh. The theme for the paintings can be various however a strong link to Indian festivals, tradition is seen in the painting. Otherwise, it also revolves around nature with animals, trees, flowers etc.