The event, into the seventh year, drew more than 1,300 artists from across the country to display their works.

It was a day when artworks moved out from galleries to adore the streets so that common man got a chance to sample the aesthetic world and also buy paintings at an affordable price.

According to Dr R H Kulkarni, Principal of Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat, the sales of paintings has crossed Rs one crore.  “Artists made an intelligent move this year and did not price their work highly. The price of paintings ranged from Rs 100 to Rs 50,000 this time.  They were very happy with this year’s sale,” he said.  

The event, which has registered increase in the number of participants over the years, belonged to self-taught artists from outside the State this year. Elaiyabarathy, a self-taught artist from Chennai had some of the amazing paintings with fine strokes on canvas.  His paintings focussed people on the beach. "I have not studied painting. My brother has taught me something.  I mainly watch people on the beach or paint from a photograph," he said.

Another artist, a hearing impaired and a National Award winner, G Prabhakar was more than happy to sell his paintings for the first time at the Chitra Santhe.  "I am happy today that two of my paintings are sold for the first time in this event," he said.  He had participated in the Santhe during 2004 and 2006, and it is only this year that his paintings were sold.

There were many artists who were not professionals but took painting as a hobby.  Krishna Rao, a software professional from HCL displayed his ‘single line abstraction’ work for the very first time at the event.  "Painting is my hobby although I am an engineer. My works usually portray the diverse Indian culture with a message,”he said.

Sunil Mathad, an artist and professor in Fine Arts and Music, Dharwad said that the event gives a platform to many budding artists and with growing popularity, the facilities also need to be improved. “We expect proper stalls so that our artwork gets the respect when displayed.”

Movement of vehicles was blocked from Shivananda Circle to Windsor Square and policemen at each junction deviated the traffic.

Year-long exhibition

Transport Minister R Ashok who inaugurated the ‘Chitra Santhe’ said that a exhibition centre will soon be created to help artists display their works throughout the year.

“Artists need not wait for an annual event like Chitra Santhe. We are planning to set-up a centre which will provide a platform to artists to display their works anytime of the year,” he said.

Senior artist U S Venkataraman urged the government to establish ‘Kalagrama’ similar to ‘Cholamandalam’ in Chennai.  “Such a place will help the artist community,” he said.

When Katta did a Chatur Ramalingam

All was not well at the Chitra Santhe on Sunday, When IT&BT Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu did a Chatur Ramalingam (of “3 Idiots” fame) act by reading a wrong speech.

Naidu was invited for the inauguration of Chitra Sante. Although the event was about artwork display and paintings, Naidu's speech was about cinema and Suchitra Cinema and Cultural Academy, which made no sense at the event. 

His speech included several quotes from renowned international personalities which Naidu struggled to pronounce. As the inauguration was delayed, people were in no mood to listen to any speech.

With Naidu’s gibberish in full flow, people understandably paid little attention to him. Those sitting on the dais including Transport Minister R Ashok, Principal Secretary to Transport department M K Shankarlinge Gowda, DG-IGP Ajai Kumar Singh, MLA Roshan Baig and Dinesh Gundu Rao maintained a stoic silence, pretending Naidu was at his oratorical best.

Before newspersons could accost him, Naidu, alerted by his colleagues, made a quick get away even as senior artist U S Venkataraman spoke on.