Nakashi is a kind of scroll painting depicting legends from mythology and folk traditions. The scrolls consist of panels narrating various episodes from Krishna Leela,
Ramayana,
Mahabharata and Shiv Purana.
The painting is done with brush on khadi cotton, and a mixture of starch (from rice), suddha matti (white mud), a paste of boiled tamarind seeds and gum water is also employed. Nakashi has decorative borders and generally comes in bright colors such as yellow, green and blue with a high proportion of red in the background.
Nakashi scrolls and dolls were used for story telling in ancient times. Presently, it is found graced in the walls of most of the South Indian homes.
