Kahani Kavad Kala Ki

The Kavadiya Culture in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, is a rich and traditional storytelling craft embodied in portable wooden boxes adorned with intricate paintings. Crafted exclusively by the Suthar community and known as Bassi Kashtkala, this art form finds its roots in the Bassi village on the Chittor-Kota Road in Rajasthan. These Kavads serve as both narrative devices and temporary temples, carried from place to place by the Kavadiya Bhatt group, who narrate traditional stories. The custom, known as Katha or Kavad Banchana, sustains the storytellers'
way of life. The stories recounted through Kavad most often vividly depict folk tales and narratives of deities, with their origins traced back to the Ramayana. Legend has it that the tradition emerged as a result of a poignant incident involving Shravan Kumar, a devoted son who wished to bring temples to his blind parents, leading to the creation of portable shrines, the Kavads.