Kavad- Portable Shrines of Storytelling

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Kavad- Portable Shrines of Storytelling

India has a rich and diverse tradition of storytelling. From puppet shows to sand art, storytelling lies in the very soul of our culture. One such art form is known as the Kavad art. It is an artist's canvas, a storyteller's legend and a shrine to its believers. Dive into this journey of discovering this unique art form.

Kavad- A box full of deities; Image Source- Tvami

Kavad is a wooden box with wood procured from the local Adusa, Mango or Sheesham trees, that consists of foldable panels. Its portability makes it more attractive for everyone. In the nascent stages of its creation, many devotees carried Kavad as their portable shrines for day to day worship.

Derived from the Hindi word Kivad meaning a wooden door, a Kavad is a wooden box that opens up to the panels consisting of mythological stories. Born as an alternative for fragile cloth paintings, a Kavad is made with the power-packed skills of carpentry, painting and storytelling.

The credit for preserving this precious art goes to the Suthar community of the Bassi village in Rajasthan. The Suthars primarily do the combined job of shaping, sizing and painting the Kavad.

Every Kavad contains pre-decided number of painted panels. As the Kavadia proceeds with his story, outer panels are unfolded, slowly moving towards the innermost ones. The final panel portrays the deity to whom the Kavad is dedicated. The audience finally gets darshan of their beloved god at the end, putting a fulfilling stop to the story. When the box is open with all its panels unfolded, the structure closely resembles a temple with a grand top or Shikhar dedicated to Sun God or a local patron.

The audience of Kavad is known as Jajmans. The Kavadias are in this sense well-respected people, for they bring the temple to its devotees. The belief that listening to these religious stories purifies the soul. Hence, certain rituals like donations to the Kavadias are the norm.

Making a Kavad is a tedious process. From selecting the number of panels each wooden cabinet should contain to sizing and assembling the box together with hinges and nails, a Kavad needs precise measurements. Individual panels of a Kavad are coated with Khadia (local white chalk powder) for a smooth application of other colours. After Khadia dries, vibrant colours are used to paint and decorate individual panels with fine details. At last, a quote of varnish is applied for the extra sheen. The Kavad is all set to be assembled together with hinges and nails.

Now comes the storytelling aspect of a Kavad. Better known as Kavadia, the storytellers belong to the community of Kavadia Bhatt. According to the popular belief of the community, they are the descendants of Lord Vishwakarma. Known as the supreme architect of the universe and the God of Arts, the community believes they have to spread the word of god through Kavad, often known as a portable shrine.

Traditionally, Kavads only depict the tales of the Gods. But in recent years, Kavad has also become a medium for portraying social issues or short stories for children. Its mobility makes it easier for anyone to carry, and a Kavad is fascinating in itself that attracts every age group.

Sadly, like all other age-old art forms, Kavad is also endangered. The high price of the raw materials, lack of sturdy wood and declining demand of Kavad are the primary challenges that the artisans are facing. The Lavadias also face a hard time. With the emergence of televisions and mobile phones, people have started losing interest in Kavad.