This is not a blog about any supernatural powers, but about the ancient Indian art called Phad which originated in the colorful region of Rajasthan hundreds of years ago. This is perhaps one art that is more famous for the function or purpose it fulfills, than just for art’s sake. It is believed that when members of the Rabari tribe realized that there was no one temple that they could visit, they created temples that could visit them instead. Phad art is not just about paintings, but about an elaborate visual presentation that also includes a song and dance performance by travelling balladeers. These storytellers were usually a priest (bhopa) and his wife (bhopi) hailing from the Rabari tribe in Rajasthan. They would travel from one village to another carrying with them a simple musical instrument and Phad paintings to display dramatic renditions of stories from the Ramayana, Hanuman Chalisa and other mythological tales. 

The word phad means ‘folds’ in the local dialect, and is best described as a devotional mural storyboard painted on cloth. 

Phads are long rectangular paintings on cloth displaying depict the lives and adventures of local heroes, famous epis, tales of deities and so on. These paintings were usually shown along with dances and songs to create an entertaining evening for villagers. The common themes of these paintings in addition to Pabuji and the Ramayana Lord Krishna, Budhha and Mahaveera. Most Phad canvases are large – 15 to 30 feet – and the balladeers gradually unfold the tale they’re narrating panel by panel. Each panel illustrates a particular scene or incident, and as the Bhopa narrates (sings or mimes) the story his assistance rolls out the scroll.

The story of Phad…

According to folklore dating back to the 14th century, a prince called Pabuji Rathore was born to a celestial nymph. He was so revered during his lifetime that when he died he was elevated to the status of a folk deity. Shrines were built to worship him and paintings depicting his legend and life were displayed on walls. But how were tales of his greatness to spread beyond the walls of the shrine? 

In ancient times, the only means of “mass communication” was for someone to travel on foot or horseback to surrounding villages. And that’s how the first “multimedia presentation” was born with paintings depicting various stories on horizontal cloth canvases that could be folded. Here’s some interesting trivia. The locals believe that when painting Pabuji on the cloth the eyes should be painted at the very end. This is so because they say that when the eye and the pupils are filled in, the Phad  painting becomes home to the spirit of Pabuji making the painting sacred. After this it is forbidden to sit on the cloth. 

Till the mid-1900s, Phad was almost exclusively practiced by the artists of Joshi lineage of the Chippa caste, who have been carefully guarding their secrets of painting techniques. Fortunately, Shree Lal Joshi, a highly celebrated Phad artist, felt that it was important to share these secrets and established a Phad school to popularize the art.

The painting process

The cloth, typically khaadi/cotton/ canvas, is starched using boiled flour and glue and polished using  a special stone called mohra, before the painting commences with a small ceremony performed by a young unmarried girl who initiates the process by drawing the holy symbol of the Swastika on the cloth. Only natural colors are used to paint. The artist makes his own colors using locally available plants and minerals, mixing them with glue and water. Yellow is obtained from an element called hartal found in the local mica-rich region, red from sangrak, brown from the geru stone and blue from indigo. The artist even used natural herbs mixed with the paint, usually black, to act as an insect repellant. 

The story unfolds

One characteristic of Phad art that stands out is that each part of the cloth or canvas is covered with images. Phads have a lot of human figures in them. Also, you can see that the characters always face each other and not the viewer. There are no dimensions or perspectives and the art is flat. Artists use scales and techniques to indicate the relative social status or importance of the characters within the story. The outlines are drawn in black and filled with vibrant colors. Once a rough sketch is ready, the painter starts adding color in layers moving from lighter to darker hues. Orange is typically used for the torso and limbs, yellow for ornaments and clothes, red for clothes of royal figures, green for vegetation and brown for any buildings or structures.  A thin black outline is given painstakingly to each element for the final touch. Black lines and ornate borders with creepers, trees etc are used to divide the panels. 

Phad art today

Thanks to the school of Phad art, there are newer themes being painted using original techniques. Hindu marriage scenes and festivals are also being depicted and the painters are no longer being commissioned by the bhopas. Even the size of a Phad painting has been shortened to two-three feet in length.  We can even see animated Phads today, where sound and visual effects bring to life all those tales in multiple languages including English. Though there are consistent efforts to revitalize the Phad art form, the patron community is diminishing and artists are finding it hard to make ends meet. 

About the author: Sushmita Vobbilisetty is the concept creator at Chitrapata. She has a deep understanding of old masters, modern, and contemporary artworks. Sushmita is an expert in evaluating the market value and fair value of art based on heritage, availability, sell-through rate, market performance over time, secondary sales track record, and other key factors. Sushmita frequently predicts the bidding prices for day sales and evening auctions hosted by leading art houses.

About us: Chitrapata is a digital atelier with an in-house generative art technology platform enhanced with machine learning and artificial intelligence capabilities. Our vision is to spark thoughts, conversations, and debates among different groups. Visit “About us” section to know more about our philosophy, vision, bio, artist statement, story and technology process.

Image credit: DreamStudio AI, StableDiffusion.