Hyderabad: This Diwali, a traditional art form called Cheriyal painting will not only be displayed on walls, fabrics, or canvas but will also be used to decorate diyas. A Telangana craftsman named D Saikiran has introduced these innovative diyas to promote this cultural heritage.
Dhanalakota Saikiran, the craftsman behind the idea, explained how they came up with the concept. Usually, Cheriyal painting is done on cloth or walls. However, in collaboration with Club Artizens, they decided to bring this art to Diwali diyas. For the diyas, they are using old materials like CDs and small containers to hold the wax. The CDs are painted white first, and then the traditional Cheriyal art is painted on them.
Cheriyal Scroll Painting, according to Saikiran, is a 400-year-old art form that Telangana is proud of. In the old days, people in rural areas were entertained by puppetry and storytelling. Cheriyal scrolls played a major role in storytelling, with storytellers carrying the painted scrolls from village to village. The scrolls were used to tell stories through both singing and pictures. Nowadays, people are rediscovering this art, and Saikiran wanted to showcase these stories through the diyas. Some of the diyas have paintings of women holding diyas, while others show scenes from old lifestyles. They have also created wall hangings that tell mythological stories.
Saikiran shared that Cheriyal painting has been in his family since the 16th century, passed down from generation to generation. His whole family works together to create these paintings, whether they are for walls or diyas. During festivals, they use the art to share mythological stories with others.
