Celebrating Bonalu with Online Cheriyal Scroll Painting

Cheriyal , is not merely an art form,it has been a part of over a 400 year old tradition of storytelling. Narrative Scrolls spanning around 3 feet in width and over 40-45 feet in length, would be intricately filled with scenes from the Indian Mythology and Folk Stories. Stories painted against a rich red background, scene by scene, would form a scroll similar to a film roll, which would be unraveled . The paintings are said to remain vivid, retaining their colors for centuries, because they have been painted with naturally extracted mineral pigments painted on a specially treated hand-spun khadi cloth.

Bonalu is one of the most enigmatic and important festivals of Telangana. It is celebrated in the months of Ashada, after the first spell of Rain. A Bonalu, is an offering to Mother Goddess Yellamma, seeking protection and thanking her for fulfillment of vows. Women prepare rice cooked with milk and jaggery in a new Brass or Earthen Pot adorned with Neem leaves, turmeric, Vermilion and a lit lamp on the top of the Pot. Women carry the pots on their heads and make an offering of Bonam along with Turmeric-Vermilion,Bangles and Saree to the Mother Goddess across the Temples.

Our Artist in focus - Pavan Varma is exceptionally talented in the Cheriyal Artform. He is a State Award winner and instrumental for many iconic Cheriyal painting projects around the city like the murals at Kachiguda Railway Station and Metro Pillars.