1582 A Complete Deccani Scroll – Padmasali Purana Andhra Pradesh

A Deccani scroll depicting Markandeya and Bhavana Rishi Purana performed before the Padmasali weaver caste

This scroll originates from Andhra Pradesh where such scrolls were used to relate stories of a particular caste.

Has a long paragraph of script at the bottom.

 Scrolls such as this were employed by hereditary itinerant performers or storytellers locally called Patamuvaru, to perform before people of their community.

 Telanganga scrolls differ from scrolls of other regions in India in that their focus is depicting the legends of the origins of their particular caste rather than depicting episodes from Hindu mythology for education and entertainment.

 The performance of such scrolls was a complex event for the intended audience.

 Storytellers would visit a community every 2-3 years and the narrative performances would last a number of evenings and traditionally commence with the worship of Ganesh whose prominent image is shown at the beginning of most scrolls, as is the case with the present one.

 For further reading see J. Mittal, Deccani Scroll Paintings in the Jadgdish and Kamla Mittal Museum of Indian Art, Hyderabad, 2014.

Estimated by Shri Jagdish Mittal to be from 1825-1940

960cm long / 29 registers

Acquired from United Kingdom

More photos available on request

Price on request

 SIMILAR PIECE ON CHRISTIE’S: LINK

***

This item has spent a lifetime being used for the purpose of its creation with the original artist/user. Signs of this life lived heartily may be present on the piece in the form of stains, thread loss, loose threads, holes, tears, color run and other imperfections. Therefore the condition must be assumed to be “not” perfect. More photos of such imperfections will be provided on request.

***