Bengaluru to host Chitra Santhe on Sunday, to feature 1,500 artists

Bengaluru: The 21st edition of the Chitra Santhe, organised by the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath (CKP), will be held on Sunday.

The fair, to be inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, will be dedicated to the achievements of scientists in space research and other related activities.

The santhe will play host to over 1,500 artists from 22 states across the country and is expected to attract more than five lakh art enthusiasts.

The organisers have received 2,726 applications from artists, self-taught hobby artists, traditional painting artists and art students from Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Around 1,386 applications are from Karnataka, 7.6% from differently abled artists and 6% from senior citizens.

From vibrant Mysore and Tanjore traditional paintings to Rajasthani, Madhubani art, modern and contemporary art in water colour, oil, acrylic, pencil and ink as well as graphic art will be showcased.

In order to avoid congestion, the stalls will extend from Windsor Manor Hotel till Shivananda Circle and parts of Crescent Road. Additional stalls will be put up in Seva Dal grounds and the service road under Shivananda steel flyover.

“This year, we have received a large number of applications, compared to the previous years. There is an increase in applications from specially abled persons and senior citizens. Som we have installed 300 additional stalls to accommodate the smooth functioning of the art fair,” said BL Shankar, director, Chitrakala Parishath.

Cartoons and caricatures will be sold by prominent and amateur cartoonists.

“There will be artworks for sale, with the price ranging from Rs 100 to several lakhs of rupees. We provide the artists a platform to showcase their masterpieces. We take no commission for this. Our aim is to make sure that art is seen, appreciated and valued. Our motto — An art work for each home — says it all,” Shankar told DH. He added that over 400 artists from other states have been provided free accommodation, and participants and visitors will get free breakfast and lunch. First aid and ambulance facilities will also be provided in case of emergencies, he told DH.

Seamless transport facilities

Feeder bus service has been arranged from metro stations, including BR Ambedkar, Majestic, Mantri Square and Vidhana Soudha, to Shivananda Circle. Namma Yatri will deploy 30 autorickshaws driven by women to provide the last-mile connectivity.