The Thakar Tribals from the Sindhudurg District of Maharashtra are very unique storytellers. They tell stories with the help of pictures and puppets. Beautifully illustrated stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, painted using naturally occurring pigments onto handmade paper – this is the art of Chitrakathi. Goat leather is cured to make stick puppets used for shadow puppetry or Chamdyachya Bahulya and wooden string puppets are used as Kalasutri Bahulya. Today about 500 years after this ancient art form was first recorded, Chetan Gangawane and his family are working hard to revive these dying art forms. They have set up a puppet theatre and Chitrakathi and puppetry school and workshop in Pinguli Adivasi Village of Sindhudurg district. They also travel all over the world conducting workshops and training classes for art enthusiasts. What started as an evangelistic venture in Chetan’s father’s cowshed has today grown to become a well appreciated and highly sort after staycation and art-appreciation destination. Chetan and his team also conduct specialized sessions on health and welfare topics like AIDS Awareness etc. using their puppetry skills. They also conduct workshops for architecture, art and other students to familiarize them with the symbols, iconography and other niceties of tribal art forms.
Hobbies and Passions can anchor life, bring balance and maintain stable mental health. These are powerful destressors. Most importantly, they are callings not be ignored or sidelined. Watch the short video story about Kalpesh Thakar a Data Content Manager for Financial Markets who made a paradigm shift from a corporate world to a world of art and colour.
