Chitrakathi : Unveiled in Kudal
As I held the freshly printed pages of our craft documentation, a rush of memories from our cluster visit flooded my mind. The glossy pages, still warm from the printer, bore the culmination of our hard work. This journey commenced when I pulled out a piece of paper from a bowl of chits that held the names of different destinations. The one that I opened had the word ‘Kudal’ scrawled on it, which led us to discover the story of ‘Chitrakathi’. That piece of paper set us in motion surfing the Internet, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram to collect as much information about the place and the craft as we could, prior to our travel. These stalking skills as my friend liked to call to them, got us acquainted with artists and students who have worked on the craft. From there on till the end of this endeavor, each and every step taught us something.
The craft cluster as an experience is so much more than just visiting a place and collecting information about the craft there. Right from booking your own tickets, deciding on your lodging and crafting a carefully planned budget, it takes you on another parallel journey, the one called ‘adulting’. Booking fourteen train tickets just one month in advance was a hassle on its own but searching for budget friendly accommodations in Kudal was definitely a task. During a craft exhibition arranged by our college, we happened to meet Mr. Chetan Gangavne, a Chitrakathi artisan from Kudal. As we conversed with him about his family’s history with the craft, he invited us to stay with them during our visit. Such unplanned interactions, tons of research and the guidance of our mentor faculty prepared us for the cluster.
Upon reaching Kudal, we were warmly welcomed into the home of the Gangavne family, in Pinguli. They are skilled Chitrakathi artisans from the Thakar community of Kudal. Parshuram Gangavne has won the Padmashree award for his contribution to the craft and his sons continue to preserve his legacy. During our visit, sharing the home of this family allowed us to gain an intimate perspective of their daily lives along with their practice of the craft. The Thakar Adivasi Kala Angan Museum (TAKA), preserved by the Gangavnes, holds a collection of traditional paintings while also housing many contemporary interpretations of the craft. During the tour of the museum, we tried our hand at playing, the ‘Vata’, a traditional musical instrument that accompanies the Chitrakathi performances. The artists conducted workshops, patiently teaching us about the techniques, tools, and materials used in this traditional art form. Through interviews with the artisans, we delved deeper into the history and the narratives that come to life on the canvas.
Our research for the project progressed in knowing and unknowing ways. Every planned museum tour, formal interview, visit to government offices, workshop, demonstration and performance provided us with detailed information to fill in the pages of our documentation. But what made this process more enriching was the ‘unplanned’. Every day at the dinner table we would sit down with the family listening to their stories and experiences. We also witnessed the celebration of ‘Vatta Purnima’ a Hindu festival, with all its traditional customs during our stay. Chetan Gangavne, the younger son of Parshuram Gangavne was almost an unofficial tour guide for us. He arranged for our transport and suggested us number of places that we could visit in Kudal. One such place was the Kelbai temple where the Gangavne family continues the age-old tradition of Chitrakathi performances. The intimate location of the temple, and the calm and peaceful environment that it exhibited truly made for a remarkable experience.
On our way back from the temple our rickshawala dropped us off at an unexpected location. With our GPS not working we were left to find our way back on our own. As we inquired with the locals for directions, we discovered the reason behind this unintentional detour– we had ended up at the Thakarwadi Museum instead of the Thakar Adivasi Museum. This Museum was indeed going to be our next stop …but we ended up there a night earlier.
The Masge family, that has curated and preserved the Thakarwadi Kalagram Museum, gave us a detailed and informative walk through their preservation. Through conversations and discussions, we learned about their generational dedication to the craft. They treated us to different performances like Chitrakathi, Kalsutri Puppets and Light and Shadow puppets. Each of them showcased the tales of kings and warriors, gods and goddesses, brought to life through the art of storytelling. Their family home stood as a testimony to the craft, with walls and surroundings painted with ‘Puranic tales.’
A highlight from this trip that cannot go unmentioned was the Konkani cuisine. With its distinct flavors of coconut and Malvani spices, it introduced us to the authentic flavors of Maharashtra. From Bhakris and Pitthla to chicken and fish curries we relished it all. The daily serving of ‘Solkadhi’ would commence a competition among us to get the last helping of the delicious drink. For those of us, born and brought up in this state, it almost felt like home.
The course of the 7 days we spent in Kudal was pre-planned in detail with a schedule that we assumed to be perfect. Our days went by with alterations in almost every aspect of this plan. The unexpected climate, power cuts, timings of government offices, none of it was predictable. How we still managed to tick every task on our to-do list I’ll never know. In retrospect, our craft cluster visit to the Chitrakathi community in Kudal was a profound experience that left an indelible mark on our hearts and minds. We witnessed the delicate balance of tradition and innovation, where an ancient craft struggled to thrive in a rapidly changing world. The dedication of the artisans, their commitment to preserving cultural heritage, and their unwavering passion found itself imprinted in our craft cluster documentation titled, ‘Chitrakathi: The untold story.’
