Shop Address:
Chitrashala, Near Hanuman Temple, Solanki Talkies Road, Shastri Nagar, Bhilwara - 311001

Note:

This is a popular style of folk painting done in Rajasthan. Traditionally done on long pieces of cloth known as 'Phad', the narratives of folk deities of Rajasthan, mostly 'Pabuji' & 'Devnarayan' are depicted on the Phads.

The Joshi families of Bhilwara, Shahapura are known as the traditional artists of this folk art form. In Rajasthan, a tradition of wandering minstrels developed in the 14th century. The stories told were of Rajasthani folk heroes who were worshipped as demi-Gods. The large horizontal paintings that portray the epic lives of local folk heroes and demi-Gods in Rajasthan are popularly known as Phad paintings. These paintings have the task of representing a complex folk epic narrative which they achieve through their very specific style of representation. These paintings form a visual backdrop to all night storytelling performances.

The process of making the cloth ready for painting is an important aspect of phad painting. The cotton cloth is first stiffened with starch made of boiled flour and glue and then burnished with a special stone device called 'mohra' which makes the surface smooth. The artist makes his own pigments using locally available plants and minerals, mixing them with gum and water. Once the composition is laid out in a light yellow colour, the artist applies the traditional colour - red, white, green, blue, orange and brown.