This book explores visual narratives in folk art, particularly the scroll painting tradition of the patuas of West Bengal and the Pardhan-Gond style of Madhya Pradesh. It foregrounds folk art's engagement with modernity by re-looking at its figurative modes and the ways in which they are embedded in mythic thought.

Roma Chatterji is Professor, Department of Sociology, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi.

List of Plates. Glossary. Acknowledgements. 1. Folk Art: What kind of Object is it? 2. Global Events and Local Narratives: 9/11 and the Chitrakars 3. Words and Images: Storytelling in Gond 4. Patua Art and the Graphic Novel: An Experiment in Intertextual Communication 5. Conclusion: Pictures and Myths. Bibliography. Appendix I: People of Ancient Times. Appendix II: The Chameleon's Dreams. Appendix IIIa: The Story of Ramayana. Appendix IIIb: Abduction of Sita. Appendix IV: Sita Harana. About the Author. Index