Image 47: The Dhanalakota Nakash family at their home
17 The Dhanalakota Nakash family For my craft documentation, I contacted the Dhanalakota Nakash family at their residence in Boduppal. Dhanalakota Vaikuntam Nakash is a Master Craftsman and a National Awardee. He has two sons, the elder one Dhanalakota Rakesh with a wife and son, and the younger one Dhanalakota Vinay and wife Dhanalakota Vanaja. They all work on this craft together at their home. The walls of their home are adorned by Cheriyal scroll paintings neatly framed. Four years back, the Dhanalakota Nakash family migrated to Hyderabad from Cheriyal, 85 km from Warangal, where several families survived on scroll paintings but later abandoned them due to lack of patronage. The Dhanalakota family is perhaps the last of the surviving families to continue the Telangana art form, which was passed on to them for nearly 15 generations. I had the pleasure of interacting with the entire family.
Dhanalakota Vaikuntam He is a master craftsman and a National Awardee living in Buddupal. He has been working on this craft since 1974. He has won various awards and certificates and has also exhibited his artwork in various galleries across the country. He has also participated in Research Centres like NTU Hyderabad, NIFT Hyderabad and Sarojini Naidu High School. South Zone Cultural Centre at Tanjavur had given a Merit certificate in 1987, Potti Sree Ramulu Telugu University at Hyderabad had given “ Janapada and Abinandana Patram” Merit certificate in 1997, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manava Sangrahalai had given a “Dwipantari”, Certificate in 1998 at Bhopal, Central Institute of English & Foreign Language had given Merit certificate in 1999 at Hyderabad, Craft Council of Andhra Pradesh conducted the “Sanmaan” in 2000, Andhra Pradesh Department of Culture had given a Merit Certificate in 2001, Mahanta Gasidas Smarak Sangrahalia had given Merit certificate in 2003 at Reeva in Chattisghad, State Art Gallery of Fine Arts had given a Merit certificate in 2004 in Hyderabad and Bank of India had given the “Chitra Mahotsav” certificate in 2007 at Bombay. Bharat Utsav in “Ghana” (Africa) 2002, Delhi craft museum at Delhi, Surjkond Mela at Delhi, Delhi Hut at Delhi, Dakshina Chitra at madras, Chitra Kala parishath at Bangalore AND Chitra Mahotsav at Bombay. Date of Birth: 04-06-1960 Father’s name: D. Venkatramaiah Awards: 1.2016 National Award 2.1995 National Merit Award 3.1994 National Merit Award 4.1994 State Award 5. Ugadi Puraskar from the government of Telangana 2015 Certificates: Exhibitions: Image 48: Dhanalakota Vaikuntam working on an artwork in his home
Dhanalakota Rakesh He is a craftsman living in Buddupal. He has been working on this craft since 2004. He has a bachelor’s in Technology but his interest lies in reviving the craft his father has been working on. He has Wparticipated in various International Programmes and National Programmes. His paintings gave also been collected by various Museums all across the world like the Centre Victoria & Albert Museum in London and Indian and south Asian studies in Paris. China International Travel Mart 2015, Workshop at WIPO Geneva 2015, Workshop in International Tourism Bourse (itb) at Berlin, Germany. Suraj Kund Mela at New Delhi 2016, One-week traditional artwork shop at State Gallery of Fine Arts 2014 in Hyderabad, Art Mela at state gallery of fine arts Hyderabad, Workshop at Salar Jung museum Hyderabad in cheriyal paintings 2010 and Workshop at state gallery of fine arts Hyderabad 2004. Centre Victoria & Albert Museum in London, Indian and South Asian studies in Paris, Lalithakala academy in Delhi, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalai museum at Bhopal, Jagadesh & Kamala Mithal art collection museum at Hyderabad and Madras Craft Foundation in Chennai. Date of Birth: 02-08-1989 Father’s name: Dhanalakota Vaikuntam Awards: 1.Kalamani Award 2016 at Suraj Kund Mela 2.“Best artisan 2013” Awarded by Andhra Pradesh tourism. International Programs: National Programs: Paintings collected by: Image 49: Dhanalakota Rakesh working on an artwork in his home
Dhanalakota Vanaja She is a master craftswoman living in Buddupal. She has been working on this craft since 1987. She has only gone to school till 9th grade. She too lives in Boddupal with Dhanalakota Vaikuntam and Dhanalakota Rakesh. She makes paintings as well as Cheriyal masks. Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manava Sangrahalai had given “Dwipantari”, Certificate in 1998 at Bhopal, State Art Gallery of Fine Arts has given a merit certificate in 2004 at Hyderabad and Bank of India has given “Chitra Mahotsav” Certificate in 2007 at Bombay. Delhi craft museum at Delhi, Surjkond Mela at Delhi, Delhi hut at Delhi, Dhakshina Chitra at madras, Chitrakala Parishath at Bangalore, Chitra Mahotsav at Bombay and State Art Gallery of Fine Arts, Hyderabad. Centre Victoria & Albert museum in London, For Indian and South Asian studies in Paris, Lalithakala academy in Delhi, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav sangrahalai museum at Bhopal, Jagadesh & Kamala Mithal art collection museum at Hyderabad and Madras craft foundation at Chennai. Date of Birth: 02-03-1966 Awards: 1.State award received from Telangana Handicrafts, 2014. 2.YarlagaddaPrabhavati Sambhuprasad Puraskar, received from World Telugu Federation, 2007 Received certificates: Exhibitions: Paintings collected by: Image 50: Dhanalakota Vaikuntam working on an artwork in his home
Dhanalakota Vinay Kumar He is a craftsman living in Buddupal. He has been working on this craft since 2010 and has a Bachelor in Fine Arts from JNTU Hyderabad. He wants to take forward his family’s legacy. He as well has received many certificates and has participated in exhibitions. The crafts council of India certificate 2010 was held in Chennai, South zone cultural centre certificate 2012, Lalit Kala Academy certificate 2013 held at goa and State Art Gallery of fine arts had given Chitra Mela certificate in 2013 in Hyderabad. Surjkond Mela at Delhi, Delhi Hut at Delhi, Dhakshina Chitra at Madras, Chitrakala Parishath at Bangalore and Chitra Mahotsav at Bombay. Victoria & Albert Museum in London, Centre for Indian and South Asian studies in Paris, The Ashmolean museum of Art and Archaeology in London, Lalithakala Academy in Delhi, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalai museum at Bhopal, Jagadesh Mithal art collection museum at Hyderabad, Salarjung museum at Hyderabad, Ravindra Bharathi at Hyderabad, Madras craft foundation at Chennai, South zone cultural centre at Thanjavur, Adivasi Lok Kala Parishath at Bhopal, Dakshina Chitra at Chennai and Rajbavan at hyderabad. Date of Birth: 08-05-1995 Father’s name: Dhanalakota Vaikuntam Awards: Kamala Devi Puraskar 2012 Received certificates: Participated Exhibitions: Paintings collected by: Image 51: Dhanalakota Rakesh working on an artwork in his home
18 Government/ Ngo Affiliations By virtue of its distinct traditional style and characteristics, Cheriyal Painting is widely popular due to the unique rural element which renders an aura of exclusivity and charm for the art items. In 1976, the state government recognised cheriyal art as a handicraft. Cheriyal scroll painting also received Intellectual Property Rights Protection, commonly called the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in the year 2007 for its unique folklore, rich heritage and cultural value. There are very few artists remaining who continue to paint using this unique technique. It is a matter of academic interest for painters all over India and the world, who study the artwork with attention to detail and efforts are on to preserve this rich tradition for posterity by actively promoting the tradition of Cheriyal Painting. The state government has supported these artists by issuing IDs to acknowledged artisans, giving them employment, buying their handicrafts, and offering them projects. In Badampet village of Telangana’s Sangareddy district, NGO Kudali Centre uses a 3ft by 10ft scroll painting in vivid colours to educate farmers about the perils of mono-cropping. Moving away from organic cultivation of food crops to just cotton, the farmers have seen chemical pesticide costs rising through the roof every year. Kudali uses a Cheriyal painting made by national award winner artist D Vaikuntam Nakash to educate the illiterate farmers regarding organic farming.
Image 52: Cheriyal scroll painting of a farming scene by D. Vaikuntam 2010
Image 54: Dhanalakota Rakesh painting a mural Image 53: A contemporary Cheriyal painting informing about Covid-19 safety ,by Saikiran
19 Recent Developments There have two major developments in this art. One, bright coloured Cheriyal masks representing gods, goddesses and village couples have become popular. And two, the paintings now also cover social themes like farmers’ problems, Coronavirus, importance of technology etc. The subject of the painting has changed a lot in the last 30 years, for many reasons, but one is following the homogenisation of Indian culture as a Hindu culture with Ram and Krishna as the main deities, which is seen in the painting more and more and which did not exist in the past. The format of the painting has changed too because instead of being scrolls unfolded in the village for a night performance, it is now displayed on the walls of museums and homes. So cheriyal art has always responded to the environment and still does, which makes these artists particularly relevant in today’s time to understand the socio-political circumstances in which we live. It is in the form of masks that scroll paintings are able to find a new market and audience. Although Cheriyal masks are the contemporised form of scrolls, it is believed that paintings are more rewarding as there are several beautification projects being rolled out by the government. They involve painting railway stations, government offices, public walls, etc.
20 End Use Traditional Chariyal paintings are still commissioned to Chitrakaars by the Kathakalus, who give the narrative or scripts that form the storyline for the art. Chitrakaars usually take about a year to complete these paintings. The less complicated & smaller paintings or objects of art usually take about a month or maybe 6 months to conceptualize & complete. Cheriyal paintings have expanded beyond scroll paintings in order to keep up with modern demand. Traditionally the masks and scrolls were used to tell stories. But now, the artisans are constantly trying to make cheriyal art more contemporary and relevant by using its motifs to make utility items such as mobile covers, key chains, tissue boxes, paper weights, plates, boxes, bags, etc. They are also making popular masks which are made from coconut shells. All the items are made from the same materials, with the same techniques, they are not making it fully contemporary as then this art will get lost. There are many such handicraft stores all over the country, like in Hyderabad and in Telangana, where the handmade products are sold like at Golkonda Handicraft Emporium. The artisans have now started selling online as well through instagram or various online shopping platforms.
Image 58: Cheriyal Doll by D. Vaikuntum Image 59: Cheriyal Tote Image 60: Cheriyal hand made boxes Image 55: Cheriyal Masks by D. Vaikuntum Image 56: Forest scene plate by Saikiran Image 57: Keychains by Saikiran
Image 61: Dhanalakota Vaikuntum at an exhibition held at World Trade Center, Mumbai Image 62: Cheriyal Nakashi Masks making workshop by Dhanalakota Vanaja Image 63: Dhanalakota Rakesh in a discussion about Cheriyal paintings development with minster Sri KTR Garu
21 Marketing and Promotions Amidst the changing market dynamics, Vainkuntamji & his two sons try to keep the art as authentic & rooted. Today Cheriyal art is exhibited in museums, it is sold in state government emporiums and also taught through many workshops organised by various institutions and NGOs. All this tells us a lot about the current interest in the art form and about the world we live in. Some Nakashi artisans have started relocating to Hyderabad in search of a better market. The demand is higher in bigger cities of Chennai, Bengaluru and Mumbai. The artists also participate in exhibitions and sell their products through various handicraft shops in government museums. The pandemic was definitely a setback with no exhibitions and workshops. But after 4 months, they created Instagram, facebook accounts and websites and started selling online. On average, they get 15-20 orders per month. The artisans now also have tie-ups with e-tailers like Amazon besides local websites — Craftiee, Tvami and Kala Chaupaal Trust, which directly purchase products from them.
22 Legacy The Cheriyal artists are a part of the Chitrakara community and in this ancient art of storytelling, the artists, the bards, and the audiences all belonged to different communities, each bound to their hereditary professions. As per this narration, the painters depict the characters and narrative sequence on the canvas. Cheriyals carry a rich cultural history and lineage with them. These remote but wealthy stories were also used to educate the uneducated. Today the long stories from the local mythologies have been cut short, as the traditional patrons for the long scrolls no longer exist. The artists have been forced to adapt and nowadays they paint smaller versions of the scrolls, depicting a single episode or character from the traditional stories. These are amenable to framing and can be hung on walls in modern homes. However, traditional art continues to linger and survive and even has been a source of inspiration to contemporary artists. They acted as a wonderful means of transmission and conveyed significant ethical virtues. Though this was how the Cheriyal scroll painting tradition came about, today, the large scrolls are not much in demand. Today the natural dyes have largely been replaced by commercial organic watercolours, which are mixed with tree gums, before being applied to the scroll. The artists are now making smaller paintings according to market demand as well as other articles using the painting style. The advent of TV and cinema and now the OTT platforms has faded the practice of scroll paintings. No matter how deep rooted & charming traditions are, a dynamic & disorganized market has it’s uncertainties. The Chitrakaars could have moved to neighbouring cities for more secure jobs & incomes, but they choose to remain faithful to their folk art. Cheriyal is the only place where this craft still survives. In the present day, D. Vaikuntam, D.Nageshar, D.Venkataramana and D.Pavan Kumar along with their families are taking the legacy forward.
Image 64: Smaller cheriyal paintings
Image 65: Lord Sri Krishna Lila in Patachitra of Odisha
23 Other Similar Craft - Pattachitra Pattachitra style of painting is one of the oldest and most popular art forms practised majorly in Odisha and West Bengal. The name Pattachitra has evolved from the Sanskrit word ‘patta’, meaning cloth, and ‘chitra’, meaning picture. This art form is believed to have originated as early as the 12th century and is one of the oldest and most famous living art forms. The Pattachitra artists also known as the chitrakars, predominantly made icon paintings based on Hindu mythology. The most popular themes are The Badhia, Krishna Lila, Dasabatara Patti and Panchamukhi. Pattachitra is a disciplined form of art and come with a set of rules and restrictions. A floral border is a must in Pattachitra paintings, and so is the use of natural colours, restricting them to a single tone. This creates a distinct look and feels that is typical to Pattachitra and cannot be replicated. Before painting, the artists prepare the canvas or the “patta” by coating the cloth with a mixture of chalk and gum (made out of tamarind seeds). This mixture is then rubbed into the cloth using two different stones. Finally, the cloth is dried. The lines are bold and clean, and sharp. Generally, there are no landscapes, perspectives, and distant views. All the incidents are seen in close juxtaposition. The Pattachitra style is a mix of both folk and classical elements.
24 Conclusion In retrospect, it is certainly not the big canvases that make these paintings worthy of appreciation but the dynamic thought process. Cheriyal style induces the creators of the art. It is that these vibrant colourful works of Cheriyal project the whole social universe in the miniature form including Gondwana landscapes, forests, animals, birds, people, rituals, the cultural complexities of each and every service caste and their caste genealogies as an expression of self-respect. In a nutshell, the vibrant colours, the technical skills on canvas, and the artists’ growing confidence in using various mediums reflect the dynamic nature of this painting tradition. Moreover, they reflect the greater intensity in organic metaphors, rural wisdom in perceptions and the local visions in thematic frames showing the cultural values and ethos that shape the unique aesthetic ideas of the Telangana region. Right now only Vaikuntam Nakash and his family (Rakesh, Vinay Kumar, Vanaja and Sarika) are continuing this hereditary practice of painting Cheriyal Scrolls. Vaikuntam Nakash, with his rare sensibilities and great love for art, is struggling to bring out new genres and expressions to this age-old Telangana miniature painting style. His only wish is to see the Cheriyal scroll painting style being taught at the university level for future generations Recent efforts by the Telangana government have seen the gradual revival of this old traditional craft, and it is now imperative that we buy more of such handicrafts to save the Cheriyal painting and other Indic traditional artworks from dying out.
Image 66: Workshop taken by D, Vaikuntum Image 67: D, Vaikuntum and his son Rakesh painting a 30 ft. long scroll
Refrences
Bibliography https://www.telangana.gov.in/about/state-profile https://telanganatourism.gov.in/partials/about/history-of-telangana.html https://www.britannica.com/place/Telengana http://www.hyderabad.org.uk/facts/ https://www.britannica.com/place/Hyderabad-India https://www.artzolo.com/blog/cheriyals-telangana-pictorial-narratives-local-myths https://www.telanganatourism.gov.in/partials/about/arts-crafts/cheriyal-scroll-paintings.html https://youtu.be/SPQeDlKYooE https://artsandculture.google.com/search?q=cheriyal%20scroll%20painting https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/story-of-cheriyal-art-different-strokes-for-different-folks/articleshow/66187727.cms https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/telanganas-folk-art-of-story-telling-the-cheriyal-scroll-painting/2074896/ https://30stades.com/2021/02/15/cheriyal-telanganas-centuries-old-scroll-painting-masks-art-continue-to-educate-entertain/ https://www.dsource.in/resource/cheriyal-painting-telangana https://30stades.com/2021/02/15/cheriyal-telanganas-centuries-old-scroll-painting-masks-art-continue-to-educate-entertain/ https://scroll.in/magazine/869992/moving-from-scrolls-to-key-chains-an-art-form-from-telangana-fights-to-stay-relevant https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/art/cheriyal-artist-saikiran-dhanalakota-shares-how-his-artists-family-is-creating-covid-19-masks-withtraditional-motifs/article31425175.ece https://mediaindia.eu/culture/telanganas-cheriyal-scroll-paintings-stories-of-mythology-and-village-folklore/ https://www.culturalindia.net/indian-art/paintings/pahari.html https://www.livehistoryindia.com/story/art-history/pahari-paintings-famed-art-of-the-hills https://www.culturalindia.net/indian-art/paintings/pahari.html https://medium.com/@aamori/unfurling-the-cheriyal-scrolls-b8ba28e59f3b
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An art that continues to evolve continues to flourish. Cheriyal is doing just that.
CURATED BY FAVINA CHAUHAN