7 traditional storytelling forms in India

Unfolding the canvasses of India

Through a variety of customs, India's visual storytelling forms, such as Pattachitra and Tholu Bommalata, preserve cultural heritage by skilfully weaving ancient tales.

India boasts a rich history of visual storytelling forms that tell stories of gods, heroes, and folklore by fusing art, mythology, and performance. These customs, which are intricately woven into the cultural fabric of different places, never cease to enthrall audiences with their rich storytelling and colourful artistry. Here’s a closer look at seven of India’s most famous visual storytelling formats.

Pattachitra, Odisha and West Bengal

Pattachitra, also called Patachitra, is a traditional cloth-based scroll painting that originated in Odisha and West Bengal and is renowned for its elaborate details and mythological themes. The Sanskrit words patta (cloth) and chitra (picture) are the origin of the term. These paintings, which were traditionally used as visual aids for storytelling performances or during temple rituals, frequently tell tales of Hindu deities like Durga, Jagannath, and Krishna. These colourful pieces, which are distinguished by strong outlines and vivid colours, are produced by artists, also known as chitrakars, using natural pigments.

Phad, Rajasthan

Phad paintings are intricate scrolls that are native to Rajasthan and act as portable temples for regional deities such as Pabuji and Devnarayan. The Bhopas, priest-singers, use song and dance to tell the stories portrayed on the scrolls, and their performances are not complete without these paintings. Phad paintings are typically large-scale pieces painted on cloth using vegetable dyes and produced by the artisans themselves.

Kavad, Rajasthan

Rajasthan’s Kavad storytelling tradition uses elaborately painted wooden shrine-like boxes to tell stories from local folklore and epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata. The audience is given an interactive experience as each panel of the box unfolds in turn to reveal various plot points. Kavads, which are made by craftspeople from lightweight wood like mango or neem, are not only beautiful but also have spiritual meaning; they are frequently used as makeshift temples or archives of family history.

Also Read: Tholu Bommalata: Shadow puppetry art of Andhra Pradesh

Tholu Bommalata, Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh has a shadow puppet theatre tradition called Tholu Bommalata that dates back to the third century BCE. Hindu epics such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata are acted out by puppeteers using translucent leather puppets dyed with natural colours. Translated as ‘the dance of leather puppets’, the phrase captures the vitality and movement that puppeteers infuse into these characters while they perform.

Cheriyal, Telangana

Telangana folk art known as Cheriyal scroll painting uses lengthy scrolls to tell tales from local legends, Indian epics, and folklore. The village bards, known as Kaki Padagollu, use these scrolls as backgrounds for their storytelling performances. The vivid colours and stylised character representations of Cheriyal scrolls, which are painted on khadi cloth using natural pigments, are their defining features. This art form acts as a bridge between generations and is intricately entwined with oral traditions.

Also Read: From folktales to podcasts: Evolution of storytelling

Thangka, Sikkim and Ladakh

Sacred Tibetan Buddhist artworks known as Thangka paintings are practiced in places like Sikkim and Ladakh in India. These elaborate silk or cotton scrolls, which are used for religious ceremonies or meditation, feature Buddhist deities, mandalas, or scenes from the Buddhist folkore. Every component of a thangka must follow exact iconographic rules, making them incredibly precise and detailed. They are valued cultural artefacts because of their spiritual significance, which surpasses their aesthetic value.

Kalighat, Kolkata

Kalighat paintings, which first appeared in 19th-century Kolkata close to the Kalighat temple, changed from traditional Pattachitra styles to more contemporary forms that combined mythological and social themes. These watercolour paintings, which were produced on paper, were renowned for their strong lines and satirical portrayals of modern life. Through their work, artists frequently combined humour and critique to address topics like colonialism or societal hypocrisy.