Chitrakathi Art

Sessions:  2
Hrs per Session:  2

Chitrakathi is an ancient storytelling art form from the Thakar tribal community of Maharashtra, combining vivid paintings with oral narration. Rooted in the Konkan region, especially Pinguli village in Sindhudurg, it has been a traditional means of sharing epics, folklore, and religious tales.

Artists use handmade paper and natural dyes to create bold, colorful paintings—each depicting a scene from stories like the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Puranas. These images are shown one-by-one during performances, accompanied by song, dialogue, and gesture, offering both spiritual connection and entertainment.

Stylistically simple yet expressive, Chitrakathi paintings use flat colours, black outlines, and no perspective, focusing on narrative clarity. Once in decline, this unique art is now being revived as a symbol of India’s rich oral-visual heritage.