“I’m Pavan Nakash, and together with my wife, Sowmya Nakash, we are Cheriyal artisans keeping our family tradition alive. My grandfather, Danalakota Venkataramayya, came from Vemulawada to Cheriyal and dedicated his life to the art of Cheriyal scroll painting. He passed on everything he knew to my father, Danalakota Chandraiah, who was a tailor by profession but never let go of painting scrolls and making masks.
When my grandfather had a paralytic stroke at 72, several of his works remained unfinished. By then, he had already trained my father, who carried the tradition forward with full commitment.
Our family’s work started getting noticed, first by the Development Commissioner of Handicrafts in 1978, and then when my father received the National Award from President Giani Zail Singh in 1983 for his Mahabharata scroll.
Even as a student, I always stayed involved in the art. We painted scrolls telling stories from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Markandeya Puranam, Katamula Kathalu, and Telangana’s own folk tales. From 2000 to 2012, interest faded. TV became the main source of entertainment and hardly anyone wanted scrolls or masks, and we nearly gave up. Still, we continued, hoping for brighter days.
After Telangana was formed in 2014, people began to look at cultural identity in a new way. That year, I was invited to do a workshop at Salar Jung Museum, and Sowmya and I began teaching together, meeting students and art lovers from many places. Since then, we have conducted workshops across the country and painted the Cheriyal murals at Secunderabad Railway Station’s platforms in 2018.
Now, the two of us work side by side painting, making masks, and sharing this heritage with others. We are always ready to conduct workshops, connect with new audiences, and keep the Cheriyal tradition alive for generations to come.
Government recognition has helped, but for us, it is about keeping the heart of Cheriyal beating and making sure Telangana’s stories continue to find their place in the world.
We are proud to carry this legacy forward, together.”