This ancient Kumaon folk art can be found in the daily lives of its people. You can see it on clothes or other objects, or even on the walls and doors of houses. Another popular place to draw Aipan is on your doorstep, which you can find in houses in the Kumaon area. The folk art form is said to have originated in Almora and became popular during the Chand dynasty. Since then, it has spread to the Kumaon region and other parts of Uttarakhand.
Aipan is drawn on a smooth surface prepared with a red, wet, ocher mud called gel. A white paste is made by mashing cooked rice with water. This paste is known as bisvar and is used to pattern the surface. Women draw patterns with their index, ring and middle fingers.
