A 74-year-old Kolkata woman brings Alpona art back to the streets
In short
- Ratnabali Ghosh, 74, wakes at 5:30 AM to paint Alpona designs in Kolkata.
- She began by surprising neighbours to brighten their day.
- Her work now reaches elderly couples and slum residents, and she hopes to pass the tradition on.
Why the Good News Desk likes this one
Alpona is a traditional floor art that is slowly disappearing from city life. Ratnabali Ghosh is teaching it through gifts of design to people who might never see it otherwise. Her work is inspired by her grandmother and by Rabindranath Tagore's artistic legacy.
From The Better India
At 74, Ratnabali Ghosh wakes up at 5:30 AM to bring smiles to Kolkata’s streets, one Alpona at a time! Known for creating traditional Bengali Alpona designs outside doorsteps, she began with a simple idea: surprise people and brighten their day. What started as a small initiative has grown into a beautiful mission to preserve Bengal’s cultural heritage. From decorating dilapidated houses to bringing joy to elderly couples and slum residents, her art reminds us that beauty and kindness belong everywhere. Inspired by her grandmother and Rabindranath Tagore’s artistic legacy, Ratnabali hopes...
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For kids
A lady named Ratnabali paints pretty patterns on the ground in Kolkata. She gets up very early to do it. She gives these patterns to people to make them smile. Talk about it: What pattern would you paint outside someone's door?
