Kavad Katha — A dying art of storytelling resuscitated

The first time I got to know about Kavad Katha was about two months ago. This is the first thing I noticed then:

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Two beautiful characters drawn on a wooden plank. Incredible amount of detailing in each of the characters. They reminded me of the caricatures I grew up looking at and exploring. 10 mins later, I hear the sounds of iktara and sarangi. The two most beautiful sounds in the world played exactly the way they are played back home, in Rajasthan.And then the Kavadia (story teller) comes on stage. With a percussionist joining him and giving him direction through live music.

Wait let me take a step back, what is Kavad? Kavad is a three-dimensional form of traditional Indian storytelling, originating from Rajasthan. A box unfolds to reveal pictures of episodes in a particular story, or more frequently in a series of stories about a particular character. Traditional Indian Kavads tell stories of the Gods. British equivalents could tell tales of legendary characters such as King Arthur or Robin Hood, or of tricksters such as Jack the Giant Killer. Read more about Kavad here.

Now coming back to the time I saw it first and then again at Alliance Française. It was nothing short of mesmerizing. The Kavad takes you back in time. He took me back in time, back home, in Rajasthan. Nostalgia hit me after the delivery of his first two lines. The actor has done total justice to this art.

The way stories unfold, like small pieces of a jigsaw puzzle which don't seem to connect will keep you puzzled, mesmerized, curious, excited and anxious all at the same time. It is only in the end you will realize how beautifully the stories are woven together with grace, profoundness, and intricacy.At Alliance Française, the latest additions to "Maya" were a lot more stories and a lot more detailing of the caricatures.

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Why you HAVE to go to the next show? Because you get a chance to hear and witness a thousand tails folding and unfolding. And every time it unfolds you have a new story to tell. Each of them intricately stitched together with threads of philosophy, morality, and magic. Here is a link to their next show, go check it out!