Disappearing art of Rajastan- Pabuji ki Phad

Pabuji ki phad is a religious scroll painting used for a musical version of the only surviving traditional folk art and this painting represents the deities of folk. The phad painting in the world of the epic of pabuji the Rajput Rathod chief.

The phad is also spelled as ‘par'. The place of Rajasthan is where mainly this is practiced. The translation of pabuji ki phad is the screen of pabuji or O read of pabuji, who is an ascetic deity of a sand wasteland.

History and Origin

Shahpura, near Bhilwara, Rajasthan is the origin of phad painting. The phad painting is created as a traveling or mobile temple, which is carried by priests. Singers of rabari tribes called Bhopas and Bhopis sing and perform stories of local deities and pabuji.

The phad painting should not be rolled or folded after sunset. While the performance in front of the village members would last whole the night. This is the reason behind the paintings are called phad, which means fold in the local language.

Historically, it is the only member of the Joshi family, belonging to the chipa caste that created these paintings. The Bhopas give commission to the joshis to created phad to use in their performances. The traditional paintings were as large as 30 feet long paintings of Devnarayan and 13 armlengths long paintings of pabuji.

Technique

A thick fine paste of wheat or rice finer is prepared by boiling the mixture in water and then it is applied to the cloth this process is called ‘kalaph Bannana'. Then the cloth is dried in sunlight which is called ‘sukhana’ and the cloth was rubbed with mahra ( a stone device) to get the process of smoothness and shine.

 Now the cloth is painted with natural colors which were extracted from fruits, vegetables, and plants. Earthen colors were also used to create acrylic effects. The colors are prepared by the women while the preparation of starch and kheriya gond and burnishing are done by men. It is believed in the early days that the first stroke of the painting is done by the Virgin of the family.

Another interesting aspect is that the figure in the painting always faces each other rather than the viewers. Sketches of phad painting made with a single stroke of the pen, while following the phad form is also getting vogue.Heretofore, the ancient stories were painted, every space of the canvas is used, there is also use of the human figures. The human figure size and colors are dependent upon the role and position they had.

Rejuvenation and change in contemporary times

Though the storytelling tradition of Bhopas is alive in a few villages. But the significance of phad painting moved ahead, with the hard work of the Joshi family, and it is acknowledged as an art form.

Since the moto of phad painting is storytelling Joshi family added stories and characters from Mahabharata, Ramayana, Hanuman chalisa, and even Panchatantra into their joshi. Kala kunj studio.

Artists started adding their unique style with traditional art. Keeping in mind the space in order houses, the phad painting is reduced significantly and today the art is also introduced in the fashion clothing world as well in decorative items.

Endeavors by the joshi family as well other renowned artists have helped to revive and sustain the art form to some extent. But despite these efforts, there is very few artist who is practices the art.

In recent days, there is a necessity to promote such artistic traditions from our folklore which reflects India's grand culture.