India, Oct. 31 -- The deep red cloth catches the eye immediately. A stark profile drawn in thick black ink rests against the crimson background, wearing heavy ornaments and a crown woven from leaves. It feels deeply traditional until the next frame shifts the mood entirely. Pushpa Kumari twists classic Madhubani art to document our recent pandemic. Her piece reveals a veiled, masked figure protecting a tiny globe while municipal workers spray crowded streets below.

These vivid scenes define Kahani: Painted Narratives of India at New Delhi's Sameksha gallery. The show brings together nearly sixty rare pieces by twenty-two creators across ten distinct regional styles. Curator Minhazz Majumdar gathered this massive collection after thirty y...