What is "chitrakathi"

Chitrakathi is a unique style of Painting, practised in Pinguli, a small village near Kudal, in the district of Sindhudurg in the Indian States of Maharashtra, dating back to the 17th century. Painting is done using paper, brush and hand-made colours and in the sequence, based on the story of Mahabhartha or Ramayana. The collection of pictures are used to narrate the whole story. The sutradhar (narrator) unfolds the tale in the form of songs supported by the music of the vina, the taal and the huduk.