Kaavad / Kavad

Kaavad or Kavad is a rich, oral tradition of storytelling in Rajasthan, believed to be 400 years old. Kaavad is also the name of the medium used for this kind of storytelling. It is a portable shrine, which has a visual narrative of mythological and folk tales. The shrine is not just a religious piece of worship, but also a wonderful collage of images that are bound together in stories by the storyteller, the 'Kaavadiya'. As each door of the Kaavad opens, a new chapter in the story unfolds. Amongst many others, the most popular stories told through Kaavad are those of Lord Ram and Krishna.