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Kolkata Teacher Paints Stranger's Doorsteps Daily
4 Nov
Summary
- Retired teacher paints traditional floor art on strangers' homes.
- She travels to old neighborhoods early morning to create art.
- The tradition of alpana making is becoming rarer in West Bengal.
Ratnaboli Ghosh, a 74-year-old retired teacher from Kolkata, is ensuring a traditional art form doesn't fade away. She wakes before dawn to travel across the city, secretly painting alpanas—traditional floor art—outside the homes of strangers. Her dedication began last year after a neighbor suggested the unique project.
Ghosh's efforts focus on older parts of Kolkata, where she adorns courtyards and porticos with intricate designs. This practice is becoming increasingly rare, often limited to special occasions like Lakshmi Puja. Her early morning artistry aims to beautify the city and preserve a cultural heritage.
She has so far decorated approximately 20 houses, with each artwork taking between 20 to 30 minutes. Ghosh finds joy and unexpected energy from her work, despite physical challenges. Her mother's artistic background influenced her lifelong passion for drawing, which she now shares generously with the community.
