Compelling Storytelling with Narrative Scroll Paintings
Cheriyal scroll paintings belong to a long tradition of storytelling, rooted in Indian mythology and folklore. Once prevalent across Telangana, a small hamlet called Cheriyal in Warangal district is home to the art form.
The Making
Cheriyal scroll paintings are collaborative pieces. A chitrakar (painter/artist) and a bard are involved in creating and showcasing the piece. Together, they sing, dance and tell stories with the help of painted scrolls they show their audience. The stories are painted on scrolls that are 3 feet wide and 30-60 feet long. The artists use Khadi canvases treated with sawdust, tamarind paste, coloured stones, white mud and rice starch. For colours, they use natural products.
The Legacy
Traditionally, a chitrakar starts work on the scroll by painting an image of Lord Ganesha, believed to be a remover of obstacles. They then follow this up with images of the triumvirate of Brahma, the creator, Vishnu, the preserver, and Shiva, the destroyer. Some artists also extend their skills to making dolls for Golu, and Drishti bommala, or masks that ward off evil.
Memory Vault
Each Cheriyal scroll tells a story. The stories could come from the folklore of different communities such as the toddy tappers or the washermen community. This art form was certified with the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2007.
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