Chitrakathi: Preserving A 400-Year-Old Forgotten Tribal Art Form

After almost 200 years of colonial rule, when the British left India, they said, “This land is equal to milk and honey." But why milk and honey? What does this phrase mean? During the British Raj, the standard of living was high as the economy was collapsing. Milk and honey were two essentials that were priced at astonishing rates. One could also say these were the two most valuable products of the time. This expression reflected their view of how culturally rich and precious India’s heritage was. Because we as citizens tend to idolise Western culture and practices, Indian culture does not always receive the respect and recognition it deserves. One of the art forms at risk of dying out is Chitrakathi. 

With the aim of conserving his culture and shining a light on his community's ancient traditions, Parshuram Gangavane from the Thakar tribal community devoted his life to preserving the ancient art of Chitrakathi, which has thrived since Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s reign. In this article, we will delve into the history of this traditional art form and discuss why it is necessary to conserve, protect, and preserve our culture for future generations. 

What is Chitrakathi?

Chitrakathi is a 400-year-old art form from the village of Pinguli in the Sidhudurg district that utilises pictures, wooden handmade puppets and other visual aids to tell a story. ‘Chitra’ means picture, and ‘Katha’ means story. These pictures are drawn using colours, mainly red, brown and green, which are organically sourced directly from nature. These paintings were drawn on a 12x18 sheet of paper, which was supplied by the court of CPingulihhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Thus, now, one can’t find a similar size and quality of this paper. But what makes this art form unique, and why is it necessary to preserve it? Let's now learn the history of the Thakar tribe.

The Thakar tribal community is considered to be a scheduled tribe with a population of 2000, and the same is subdivided into 36 sub-castes or group-castes. While many of the villagers were into some of the other forms of art as their main occupation was to travel from village to village to entertain people, the rest used to work as spies. Yes, a spy, like James Bond! The rest of the villagers acted as spies during the reign of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the Bhosale of Sawantwadi. As they would travel from one village to another, they were asked to get information from the enemy territory or any conspiracies that were brewing.

The stories narrated were from epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata, though mainly they focused on Ramayana accompanied by musical instruments like ‘tuntune’, ‘tal’ and ‘ekatari’. Under the pretext of narrating episodes from Ramayana and the Mahabharata through pictures, puppets and other visual aids, they grew close with the residents of these villages and collected any important information. This information was then given to the village heads, who would convey these messages to the King's court. 

The tribals from the Thakar community were also granted lands to fend for their livelihood. However, after a few years, the royal patronage was discontinued, and the tribals were forced to take up menial jobs such as farming, fishing, and cultivating rice. Thus, slowly, this age of tradition of Chitrakathi, which means “reciting stories through pictures,” was dying. 

Parshuram Gangavane: The Man Behind Reviving This Craft

Parshuram Ganagavane, one of the villagers from the Thakar tribe, decided to revive the lost art form of Chitrakathi. He founded the TAKA (Thakar Adivasi Kala Anagan) Museum and Art Gallery in 2006. He also decided to take this art form to an international level. So far, he has held several exhibitions, events and workshops across the country. He has taught more than 1000 students and also runs an art course that educates and empowers others to learn and carry forward the Chitrakathi art form. 

His two sons, Eknath and Chetan Gangavane, also work towards preserving the ancient art form of Pinguli. Over the years, Parshuram Gangavane won many awards, and one of them was the Padma Shri. He was awarded this prestigious honour in 2021. The TAKA Museum is open to all and is a short drive from the Kudal Railway Station. The Gangavane family has also started a homestay, ‘Sundar Homestay’, wherein guests can enjoy various shows and workshops arranged and performed by the tribals. 

Why do we need to preserve and conserve our culture? It’s our defines who we are and what we do and also is a part of our identity. In a nation so rich and diverse, all art forms need to be respected and represented so that our future generations can continue this forgotten, rich, tribal art form.