Tribal Art
Royal Procession on an Elephant (Gajaraj Sawari) by Chetan Parshuram Gangavane
A royal figure rides high on an elephant in Chetan Parshuram Gangavane’s Royal Procession on an Elephant, with attendants and a red border framing the march. Gajaraj sawari means a ride on the king of elephants. In Chitrakathi, paintings like this are held up one by one while a story is sung, so each sheet is a single frame in a longer tale. Chetan comes from the Thakar community of Pinguli in Maharashtra, and his father, Parshuram Gangavane, received the Padma Shri in 2021 for keeping the art alive. ### Why does this painting stand out? • Hand-painted by Chetan Parshuram Gangavane of the Gangavane family of Pinguli. • A single storytelling frame from Chitrakathi, the picture-story tradition of the Thakar community. • At 16.5 x 11.7 inches in acrylic and poster colours on paper, it suits studies, bookshelves and gallery clusters. • A rare collector’s piece from one of India’s least-seen folk traditions. Add this royal procession to your collection today.
