Unraveling the Phad
As the sun travels downward, the delicately folded Phad unravels. A Phad is a 15 to 20 foot horizontal piece of cloth depicting an entire folk tale. The stories commemorate the exploits of local heroes. Usually the stories revolve around 2 main popular heroes: Pabuji and Devnarayan-ji.
Devnarayan-ji was a hero of the 10th century AD and was known to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. His story is said to be very similar to Krishna’s. Pabuji, on the other hand, was a hero of the 14th century AD. He was a local Rajasthani who abandoned his wife on the pyre of marriage to fulfill his promise to help a woman from the Charan community save her cows. During his attempt to save the last calf, he died in battle. According to the folk tale, it is said that Pabuji rode his horse for about 10 km after his head was killed. A temple was erected where his body eventually fell dead. Both men are titled as ‘Heroes of the cattle’ who fought vehemently for the cows of their community and ended up giving their lives in the attempt. The cattle heroes are collectively called Bhomiyo. Only some Bhomiyo become famous and achieve divine status.
Today, renowned Phad painting artists such as Prakash Joshi, are expanding and exploring the art form further by creating Phad paintings that tell stories of Durga, Sati, Ramayana, Mahaveer, Buddha, and even the Krishna-Leela series.
To date, the origin of the Phad remains a mystery. This is because once a Phad becomes old and worn, it is destroyed by ceremoniously dipping it into Pushkar’s holy lake. This is a ritual that is known as Thandi Karna. Therefore, we do not have the first copies of Phad paintings. The oldest Phad paint available today is from the late 19th century.
Ideally, a Phad is only painted during the monsoon season. This is done with the belief that the village lords sleep during this time. Traditionally, it is only painted by people from a special cast: Chippa, also called Joshi. Ideally, only vegetable colors are used as paint for the Phad. This is because natural colors stay fresh for a long time. However, today the scarcity of these natural dyes forces Phad artists to use artificial or synthetic colors. When painting a Phad, only one color can be used at a time. Only after full use of this color has been made can the next color begin to be applied.
The beginning of a Phad painting is marked by a ceremony dedicated to Goddess Saraswati. Once a draft of the folk tale is drawn and perfected on the khadi cloth, all figures are given a base color of yellow. This is called kachcha. Finally, the youngest virgin of the artist’s family is summoned. She takes the first hit with the Phad. This ritual is followed by a distribution of sweets.
Every available inch of khadi cloth is covered in figures. Although the characters are harmoniously painted on the canvas, the meaning given to each character depends on the social status and the role the character plays in the story. Another intriguing feature of a Phad is that the characters never face the audience. All the characters represented on the canvas face each other.
A Phad painter does not paint the main figure’s eyes until they are handed over to Bhopa. The Bhopa is the interpreter-priest who uses the Phad to perform the tale described in it. At the time of delivering the Phad to the Bhopa, the painter draws the eyes of the main character and adds the name of the Bhopa to the Phad.
Traditionally, the art of painting a Phad was never taught to girls. Painters feared that the skill would be lost from their family when women who were taught the art were sent after marriage to other families. The men would learn the skill as they would be given paint and cloth while they were young to experiment and learn. Most young children would spend a lot of time with their parents and therefore would automatically be gifted with a gift for art.
Once the Phad is delivered to the Bhopa, the exquisitely painted Phad comes to life with music, dance, and storytelling. The Bhopas belong to the Bhopa caste and are the men who interpret the story represented in the Phad. The Bhopa usually adorns a red baga (skirt), Safa (turban), a red bagatari (a long shirt) and ties Ghunghroo (anklets with bells) to their ankles. Use traditional instruments like the ravanhatta or jantar to sing popular songs. He is assisted by his wife, Bhopi, who holds an oil lamp and illuminates different parts of the Phad while Bhopa sings and dances. Using the intricate design of Phad the Bhopa, the performing priest begins the Phad Bachna – ‘Narrative of the Legend’. The Bhopa generally begins the narrative by singing the lura, which refers to the hymns of the folk hero. The performance begins once the sun goes down and continues until dawn. It takes 4-7 nights of performances to complete the narration of a single story. Traditionally, the Bhopa and Bhopi used to travel from one village to another, launching their Phad at a central location in the village and performing for the locals.
Unfortunately, today India is left with only 13 traditional painting artists from Phad. People don’t understand the value or intricate work involved in making a Phad. Prakash Joshi is currently the world’s best known Phad artist. He comes from one of the only surviving families of Phad artists: the Joshi clan. In 2009, he received the National Award (President Award) for his contribution to the dying art form. Prakash Joshi spends his time teaching this traditional art form at Joshi Kala Mandir in Bhilwara, Rajasthan. Travel to 5-6 cities in a year to hold exhibitions and workshops. Most of Phad’s artists earn income from exhibitions, workshops, and classes. Artists like Prakash Joshi are heartbroken by the current social value of Phad’s paintings. He believes that the government should do more in the form of funding and sponsorship of Phad artists. Phad artists are often called in by the government for 3-4 month workshops on teaching art. However, these artists are bound for this period of time by a contract that restricts them to carry out any other external work in terms of workshops or exhibitions. Prakash Joshi claims that this arrangement is not financially viable for the artists of Phad, as most of their income and contacts are produced during exhibitions and workshops.
Also, the current market does not offer enough exposure to the Phad art form. For most consumers, the fabric becomes a simple addition to the interior of a room. “Most of my clients today choose a Phad based on whether it matches their wall colors or not. I teach my students this sacred tradition in hopes of reviving art in its true sense,” says Prakash Joshi. .
It is a shame to note that such a rich cultural legacy is fading at such a rapid rate. The creation and presentation of the Phad is more than an entertaining activity. The entire procedure from the first stroke on the canvas to the last step of the Bhopa is done with spiritual dedication. During the execution of the Phad, the Bhopa becomes a priest and the Phad becomes a mobile shrine.