Phad painting, a 700-year-old folk tradition from Rajasthan, is more than just an art form — it celebrates nature, culture, and life. Originating in Shahpura near Bhilwara, this unique style is renowned for its vivid and durable colours. The key to its brilliance lies in the natural pigments derived from plants and minerals, which are mixed with glue and water. The vibrant palette of reds, yellows, greens, and blues isn’t just visually striking; these colours have symbolic meanings, representing

Phad paintings of Rajasthan are a traditional medium of story telling. �Various folk art forms in India are significant for their story telling style, vibrant colours and natural dyes. Let’s learn the art of story telling through the art of chad painting with award winning artist, Kalyan Joshi who joins us all the way from Rajasthan! Mark your calendars for KNMA’s Tribal Art Series. Every Saturday at 11 AM on Instagram and Facebook. | Kiran Nadar Museum of Art

Phad is a 700 year old storytelling and scroll painting tradition from Bhilwara area of Rajasthan. Traditional balladeers in couples, called Bhopas and Bhopis, carry these scrolls with intricate paintings of local deities like Pabuji and Devnarayan as moving temples, narrating their story as they go. The colours in the painitng are all naturally made from flowers, stones and herbs, and carry specific meanings. Till recently, only a few Joshi families from Bhilwara used to practice the Phad paint

Phad painting, a 700-year-old folk tradition from Rajasthan, is more than just an art form — it celebrates nature, culture, and life. Originating in Shahpura near Bhilwara, this unique style is renowned for its vivid and durable colours. The key to its brilliance lies in the natural pigments derived from plants and minerals, which are mixed with glue and water. The vibrant palette of reds, yellows, greens, and blues isn’t just visually striking; these colours have symbolic meanings, representing