Brushstrokes and beyond: Art splashes on city canvas at Chitra Santhe

Bengaluru: A vibrant spectacle unfolded as more than 4.5 lakh people flocked to Kumara Krupa Road on Sunday to partake in the 21st edition of Chitra Santhe.

The thoroughfare and its adjacent lanes transformed into a captivating tapestry adorned with thousands of artworks, spanning hyper-realistic, traditional, modern, contemporary, abstract, and larger-than-life pieces. The diverse collection showcased an array of colours, shapes, sizes, and styles by nearly 1,780 artists hailing from 22 states.

Artistic brilliance, both from seasoned and amateur artists, illuminated the streets, with a majority representing Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, followed by Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Delhi.

Enthusiastic visitors indulged their senses in a myriad of art forms, from watercolour, acrylic, and oil paintings to wood art, bottle art, sand art, pottery, terracotta, Mysore and Tanjore paintings, Madhubani, Gond, and traditional Rajasthani art.

Organiser of the annual event, Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath (KCP) president BL Shankar said: "This is the largest crowd and the highest number of artists we've seen since the inception of the Chitra Santhe."

Live music resonated through bullhorns perched on trees, accompanying KCP students who sang, danced, and staged a flash mob on campus. Crowds weaved through the roads, enjoying live sketches, grabbing snacks from food carts, and making way for garbage auto tippers that periodically cleaned up litter.

'Immersive journey'

Pradeep RS, a KCP student and a Jesuit priest pursuing art for the empowerment of women and children, expressed his amazement at the transformative power of art. "Chitra Santhe 2024 was more than just an event. It was an immersive journey into the planning, preparation, participation, and exploration of the transformative power of art," he said.

Frequent Chitra Santhe attendees, Asha, a teacher, and Bhaskar, a retired engineer, living in the city’s southwest outskirts, noted the substantial growth of the event over the years. "I think it has grown 10 fold since the initial years," Asha said.

In numbers

Visitors: Over 4.5 lakh
Artists: 1,780 from 22 states and other districts of Karnataka
Highest valued artwork: Rs 3 lakh for an oil painting

Rs 50 lakh for CKP 

During the inauguration of the 21st Chitra Santhe, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced a grant of Rs 50 lakh to the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath as a symbol of the government's commitment to the development of art. He also pledged government assistance to establish museums and art galleries in all districts of the state.

Traffic chokes roads

Roads around Kumara Krupa Road experienced heavy traffic congestion early in the afternoon. Race Course Road, Crescent Road, N Park Road, W Park Road, Hare Krishna Road, and portions of Sankey Road witnessed bumper-to-bumper traffic at different points during the day. Commuters struggled to find parking spots, encountering confusion as traffic policemen directed them away from closed roads.

Last-mile connectivity

Eight BMTC mini-buses transported visitors from Shivananda Circle to Kempegowda bus station (Majestic), Mantri Mall, and the Vidhana Soudha metro station throughout the day. Completing a total of 150 trips, these feeder buses ferried over 5,000 people, with a majority heading to Majestic.

Free auto rides

Thirty women autorickshaw drivers, employed by Namma Yatri, provided free rides in electric autos to and from two locations — Shivananda Circle to the Mantri Mall Sampige Road metro station and Windsor Manor Circle to the Vidhana Soudha metro station.

"I have only had two rides so far (4 pm). But my friends in Vidhana Soudha have gotten nearly seven to eight rides," said Soundarya, a driver. However, commuters from different parts of the city greatly benefited from this arrangement.