Kaavad: The Verbal Visual Narrative of Rajasthan

Abstract

Rajasthan houses a rich treasure of oral narratives. Some of these oral narratives contain accompanying visuals, such as paintings, performances or puppets. As a popular verbal visual narrative of Rajasthan, Kaavad is a text and performance that lends itself to various interpretations. The study aims at analysing the physical, visual and narrative structure of Kaavad and understanding the interconnectedness between the verbal and the visual forms of narration. The study also aims at decoding the narratives and the painted images to understand the social and cultural histories of the communities involved. Finally, it attempts to understand Kaavad narration as a metaphor for virtual pilgrimage. The study brings out that Kaavad is more than just a worship ritual and ceremony, for the narrators, it is an act of protest, a response, and an admission into a socially and historically barred place. Another way to look at it is as a virtual manifestation of the patron's unconscious aspirations and deepest desires. These performances serve as a metaphor for virtual pilgrimage for those whose wish to go on a pilgrimage remains unfulfilled.