Dhanalakota Rakesh is a talented Cheriyal scroll painting artist along with his family! He's won the Kalamani award (2016 Surajkund Mela) and Best Artisan 2013 (awarded by Andhra Pradesh government) and you can find his beautiful paintings on canvas, paper and plates here.
Being closely associated with Cheriyal scroll painting for over 17 years now, Rakesh has mastered the art of Cheriyal scroll painting.
Cheriyal is a unique audio visual art form found in Telangana. Considered as one of the oldest forms of entertainment, these scroll paintings are only prepared by people of Nakashi caste. Presently eighteen people of six families have kept the art alive. These scroll paintings depict myths, epics and community specific story lines. Centuries back, Cheriyal was performed at different places with the scrolls being the visual aid.
Rakesh is one of the eighteen Cheriyal artists who make these scrolls paintings. His family members continue to preserve Cheriyal and his father, D.Vaikuntam is a national award winner. Indeed, the legacy continues.
Apart from presenting Cheriyal on the national level at places like Suraj Kund mela and various national art galleries, Rakesh has put Cheriyal on the global map. In 2015, He travelled to China for the China International Travel Mart, conducted a seven day workshop at Geneva, Switzerland in the same year and had another workshop in 2013 at Berlin, Germany.
Presently, he is associated with museums and galleries in Paris, London, Delhi, Bhopal, Hyderabad and Chennai.