Walls that sing, art that speaks: Preserving India's rich cultural heritage

Cultural diversity is integral to Indian design. With its myriad ethnic groups, languages, and landscapes, it creates a vibrant tapestry of traditions, aesthetics and creative practices. Traditional decorative patterns awash with bright colours, geometric shapes, and symbols reflect the skills, wisdom, and imagination of various communities and artists. While contemporary designs often blend traditional elements with modern styles, challenges persist in safeguarding, preserving, and sustaining this rich and age-old cultural heritage.

“Chittara is a rural art that adorns walls,” wrote Na D’Souza, praising the Deevaru women as true artists of chittara, a wall painting craft from the Malenadu region of Karnataka. D’Souza (1937–2025) was a well-known writer who passed away earlier this year. Having had a deep understanding of the region, its evolution, transformation, and people’s struggles, he centred much of his literary and social work in and around the Sahyadri. A great admirer of Chittara art, he even encouraged the artists to draw mythological stories, which were later published in magazines.

Deevara Chittara: The Artform, the People, and Their Culture (Prism Books, Bengaluru/2025 /200 pages/Rs 5,995), a coffee table book, explores this unique and living tradition sustained by the Deevaru women. It documents the various facets of the art form, its intricacies, symbolism and evolution. Geetha Bhat, founder of The Centre for Revival of Indigenous Art (CFRIA), known for her long-standing work in promoting crafts, is the force behind the research on Chittara art and the publication of the book. She has organised national and international exhibitions and shared her research outcomes at conferences.

Intuitive understanding

In her introduction, Bhat reflects on her 20-year journey and connection to Deevaru’s rich traditions and their eco-friendly practices. “The Deevaru’s profound relationship with nature is integral to Chittara, as evidenced by the use of natural colours and brushes.” While the intuitive understanding of geometric principles that Deevaru women use to create stunning art and crafts is fascinating, Bhat is concerned that the living tradition and its generational wisdom are poorly documented. “This book captures the central role that Chittara plays in the lifestyle, traditions, and culture of the community. It gives a voice to the artists — the Deevaru women — whose creativity and dedication have kept this art form alive.”

The book is divided into six sections: Badukina Choukattu (The Framework of Life); Jeevanada Amruta (Water-The Elixir of Life); Bhoomi Thayiya Seemantha (Celebrating the Fullness of Mother Earth); Dodda Habbada Sambhrama (A Time for Gratitude); Samruddha Suggi (A Bountiful Harvest); and Chittaarada Pragati (A Way Forward for Chittara).

Each chapter provides readers with revealing facts and sharp insights. It traces the Deevaru community’s evolution from forest dwellers to tenant farmers and eventually landowners (due to the 1974 land reforms). “Chittara was born out of the need to control external evil forces,” writes Prof HC Boralingayya, Chairman of Karnataka Janapada Parishat. “The Deevaru use Chittara to express the relationship between man and woman, prosperity through harvest, and their deep connection to nature.”

Striking visuals

The Chittara has evolved into a communal art form passed down through generations.  Primarily created by women, the wall paintings reflect the community’s collective wisdom while serving as a source of joy, beauty, and creativity for the artists. The book details how Chittara artists transform blank spaces — on walls, floors, cloth, wood, or baskets — into stunning visuals using simple materials and techniques. The artists’ arithmetic skills are evident in the perfectly aligned patterns and borders of the artwork, which are illustrated throughout the book. One also learns how the colours (primarily red, white, black, and yellow) are derived from natural sources like soil, rice, stones, grains, seeds, and leaves.

Despite its rich heritage, Chittara art has faced challenges due to changing times, evolving tastes, and a lack of governmental support. The book acknowledges that several years ago, when Chittara was nearly extinct, it was a combination of Na D’Souza’s writing and the efforts of Huchappa Masther (who trained numerous artists) and Heggodu Prasanna (who showcased Chittara murals in Desi and Charaka outlets) that revived this art form.

This publication is a visual delight. It presents a wide variety of Chittara designs and shows the artists at work and at rest. It captures the essence of village life, including sounds, scents, rituals, materials, and cultural activities of the community. With colourful photographs by Smitha Tumuluru and design by Namrata Cavale, the book offers a visual and aesthetic appeal to the reader-viewer. While academically robust, it is also accessible to a general audience. A charming aspect of the publication is the brief but evocative profiles of key practising Deevaru artists.

The book also gives a hint about whether Deevara artists should stick to tradition or embrace change. Na D’Souza bats for the latter: “Insights are essential for artists, but they often lack imagination. Warli artists are exploring different forms and styles. Why aren’t we (Chittara artists) doing the same? Younger artists should be influenced and adapt to modernity.” The debate continues, but some feel that the writing is clearly on the wall.