Storytelling and associated Crafts

Introduction to Storytelling and associated Crafts

The Art and Culture Class 11: Storytelling and associated Crafts was set up to explore and understand the concept and practice of storytelling and its relationships with folk arts like Rajasthani puppetry, Purulia scroll paintings, Ghatokuchi paintings from Orissa, Pankhi-Kala from West Bengal, and Chhau dance.

What is Storytelling:

There are several ways to narrate stories in India. A few of the forms of storytelling are mentioned below;

Puppetry: 

Dolls or figures that depict people, animals, or objects are known as puppets. They are used to telling stories. The puppet is constructed from various materials and may be manipulated in variousmaybe ways. Puppets are divided into four categories based on how they are handled during a performance:

• Puppets made with string (practiced in Karnataka)
• Hand puppets (practiced in Kerala)
• Puppets with rods (practiced in West Bengal)
• Puppets in the shadows (practiced in Andhra Pradesh)
• Shadow Puppets, Andhra Pradesh

What are Mural paintings and Scroll Paintings: 

In India, there are several types of scroll paintings.

• Scroll paintings, generally done on fabric, tell stories about many social and religious topics.
• Narrators sing and explain these topics, sometimes with instrumentalists accompanying them.
• Rajasthan, West Bengal, and Orissa are known for their scroll paintings.

Theatre: A Composite Art Form

Theatre is a compound art form that combines a variety of abilities, arts, and crafts. A variety of craft products are created specifically for use in the theatre, dance, or live entertainment, including:

• Masks
• Make-up
• Head-dresses
• Costumes

Theatre: 

It’s a fantastic kind of storytelling in which one or more performers combine dance, acting, singing, talking, miming, and theatrical crafts like masks, make-up, and outfits to convey a narrative. Every region of India has its distinct style of folk theatre:

• Uttar Pradesh: It is common for Nautanki’s subjects to be drawn from romantic Persian literature
• Maharashtra: Tamasha is brimming with raw vitality and raunchy hilarity
• Gujarat: Bhavai
• Bengal: During the Puja (Dussehra) celebrations, the blood and thunder of Jatra melodramas are in high demand
• KarnatakaYakshagana is a kind of dance-drama various maybe that originated in India

Masks:

• Masks are enchanted items that conceal the wearer’s identity by covering their visage. In our country, they have a long and varied history
• Masks do have ritual importance in many indigenous communities across the world
• People think that putting on or wearing a mask transforms the wearer into the persona represented on the mask
• Chhau dance masks, Demon dance masks (Buddhist monasteries in Ladakh), Kathakali masks are only a few examples (Kerala)

Chhau Mask:

• Chhau is a male-only dancing style that originated in the triangle region where Bihar, Bengal, and Orissa meet
• India’s tribal belt is home to the Bhulya, Santhals, Mundas, Hos, and Oraon tribes
• The masks differ depending on whether Seraikella or Purulia Chhau is being performed
• Masks aren’t utilized in the third iteration of Chhau, Mayurbhanj Chhau
• The Chhau mask is formed of potters’ clay (Matti Ghada), which is then covered with muslin layers and paper (kagaz chitano)
• It is then painted in pastel colors once dried (kahij lepa)
• The Chhau dancer does fast body movements known as chamak, accompanied by the massive dhamsa drums and two energetic dhol musicians

Stories of mythological, religious, and social significance were a part of a community’s social fabric. These flourished with the utilization of traditional art forms. This paper explores various Indian art forms used as a medium for storytelling on folk tradition within communal spaces.

In Conclusion: 

Art in any form, whether it is a monument, a sculptured building, or a painting, is a treat from the ever-changing world of visual arts. Visual art is a tangible form of art that we can touch and feel. It is a materialistic art form with a long history. When Britishers, traders, and other foreigners arrived in India, they brought their imperial art ideas with them. All of their ideas have been reflected in modern times.