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| Story-teller’s Portable Shrine |
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Portable wooden shrines, sometimes called “god-boxes,” are produced in several regions of India. The Rajasthani version, called a kavad, is one of the most famous. At Bassi (near Chittorgarh, in southern Rajasthan), a group of hereditary craftsmen construct these boxes, male and female artisans working together in family workshops. Kavads are commissioned by traditional storytellers (kavariya bhats), who specify what is to be depicted on the shrine. The box consists of an elaborate series of painted hinged panels. Most kavads follow the same general format: illustrations from the great epic, the Ramayana, on the left series of panels and scenes from the life on Krishna on the right, with references to local myths and patrons towards the end. The story-teller opens them in sequence with the events in his narration. After the story is finished, the audience is asked to place a donation in a small drawer at the bottom. Like much of Rajasthan’s traditional folk art, kavads are now made for sale.
Portable shrine (9-11105)
Photo by M. Lee Fatherree
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