Every Door Has a Story to Tell

The word Kavad comes from Kivaad which means the panel of a wooden door. Just like every house has a different story to tell, Kavad too carries different stories within it. As the doors of a house open, we are introduced to different members of the house who have different life experiences and unique stories attached to them. Likewise, a Kavad too carries numerous characters and stories in it. The unfolding of the doors is like the unfolding of the story- where we are introduced to the next event or episode in the narrative. It is the history and practice of this art tradition that fascinates its viewers.

Kavad and its many doors. Source: Wikimedia.

The kavad is a portable shrine made in the form of a painted wooden box. It is an art form native to Bassi in the Chittorgarh district of Rajasthan. Known as Kavad Banchana, it is still alive in Rajasthan where stories from the epics are told along with stories from folk traditions and local stories.

Kavads are made of wood from the Neem tree and were traditionally painted using natural dyes. Today, traditional colours are sometimes replaced by poster paints. The colours for painting the Kavad are derived from minerals. These mineral colours are powders that are blended with a tree resin solution that functions as an adhesive. Women are actively involved in the production process of this art form.

The local artisans say that the art of painting and depicting stories on Kavad dates back to the 7th century CE when King Harsha ruled parts of North and North-Western India. It is hard to pinpoint a time in history to state the origination of Kavad due to a lack of documentation. It is through the local artisans one can find links and understand the history of Kavad. The credit for the shrine-like structure of the Kavad is traced to a Brahmini Kundana Bai from Varanasi who apparently made the first Kavad and gifted them to the Kavadia.

The structure of the kavad, resembles a temple and the story unravels through its hinged doors. A Kavad has 10-20 painted panels that depict different stories. The Kavadia or the narrator starts unfolding the front panels and proceeds gradually to the innermost ones while narrating the story on the kavad. The innermost sanctum resembles the Garbagriha where the primary deity or icon resides in a Jain or Hindu temple. The temple that is decorated, ornamented, or elaborately designed on the outside brings back the devotee’s or spectator’s attention to the centre or the Garbagriha, which is calm and peaceful. The essence of the kavad could be seen in the Garbagriha, which is to lead the audience from the outer chaos and disturbance towards the inner self, reflecting on calmness and composure.

Kavad requires excellence in numerous skills namely painting, carpentry, narration, and sometimes even singing. The carpenter community known as the Suthar, of Bassi village in the Mewar region of Rajasthan, takes pride in being the only Kavad-making community currently present in India. Sadly today, out of 25 families living in the village, only 5-6 of the families are involved in kavad work. The Suthar who is a skilled carpenter creates portable shrines with hinges and panels. The Chitrakar paints the box and details and outlines the characters.  Kavadiya Bhat or the narrator periodically takes the sacred Kavad to his jajmaan’s house for a recital and receives donations in return. It is as if the Kavadiya Bhat brings the temple to the Jajmaan’s house for worship. Earlier, Kavadiya Bhats also travelled from village to village telling stories. They sat in front of the audience and told the story. They stopped the story at a logical point when the audience’s curiosity was at its peak then they collected donations in a flap beneath story panels and it was only after that they completed the story. Traditionally, different individuals would take part in different roles, but today often one individual performs all the roles due to the lack of financial resources.

Gulam Mohammed Sheikh’s Kavad. Source: The Beacon (THE DIALOGIC ARTIST)

Artists like Gulam Mohammed Sheikh are taking inspiration from the craft and concept of Kavad to channel their own artistic expression. Scholars like Nina Sabnani are using the concept of Kavad to create a book that has panels that the storyteller unfolds, one at a time, opening windows for communication in any language, anywhere in the world. In this process, Kavad, a dying art tradition is revived in a way that keeps the essence of storytelling alive.