The distinguishing feature of most of the stories rendered through Cherial paintings is that they are specific to particular castes. They relate exploits by members of the caste and have to be performed or narrated by them. One can say that this was a means of educating the younger members of that paricular caste about their history and also inculcating in them a sense of pride in thier occupation. For example, the panel drawn for the weaver community invariably had the story of Markandeya wove clothes from threads manufactured from lotus fibers and Lord Vishnu supervised his work. This story hints at the celestial origins of this community. Similar stories abound for communitires of washermen, herdsmen or farmers.

D Vaikuntham Nakash is a national award winner and a member of the rare breed who makes Cherial paintings. One of his scrolls carries a quaint story on the washermen community. It shows how the dhobi,who used to wash the clothes of a king, was insulted at the place. Seething in anger over this slight, he refused to wash any clothes. Unwashed clothes started piling and the royal palace was in a fix. The problem was sorted out only after the direct intervention of the King. Apart from reiterating the importance of each vocation and its role in society, the story captures day-to-day occurrences hilariouly. The panels capture the true essence of the story beautifully.

The performances by the bards usually starts at night and continue till dawn. The narrations are in Telugu, with the narrator and the accompanying artist using a speech-dialogue-song medium. The accompanying string instruments lend a dramatic element to the narration. “These paintings are used as visual aids for the stories told in villages,” says Vaikuntham Nakash,”This form of entertainment is still popular in small villages.” These paintings can also be seen at cultural programmes, organised by various craft associations. The recitals speak volumes about the abilities of the bards to learn the scenes by rote and perform extempore. It is a skill honed with extensive practice and performance.