A marriage of art and conservation in Jogimatti

Nagaraj's deep concern for nature shows up in his work, both in the field and on canvas, writes Sumati Muddenahalli

Nagaraj digging waterholes near the Jogimatti forest area in Chitradurga. Credit: DH Photo

Nagaraj is one of those rare artists who combines a passion for visual art along with conservation work. Over the years, this 52-year-old conservationist and artist has developed a deep bond with the Jogimatti forest reserve in Chitradurga, which is reflected in his art as well as his efforts to conserve the wildlife in the area.

Born into straitened circumstances, Nagaraj dropped out of school after Class 10. He chopped and sold firewood from the forests to make a living, and says he overcame his fear of wild animals at a very young age. Over the years, Nagaraj decided to give up cutting trees.

"I had sinned for 15 years, and it was time to pay Mother Nature back," he says. One of the projects he took up was reviving water holes near the Jogimatti forest reserve in Chitradurga. He was inspired to do this after he witnessed a thirsty wild boar struggle near a silt-covered waterhole. It took Nagaraj and his friend one-and-a-half months to finish the water hole. He then roped in more friends to work on these projects, and eventually went on to build 40 such water holes over the next 20 years.

Even more inspiring is his journey to becoming an artist. Nagaraj started painting in Class 3. With no formal training, he simply drew wild animals he observed in the woods.

Srinivasulu, a forest officer and now a member-secretary of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, was among the first officers to notice his talent and commission art works, with several other forest officers following suit.

Srinivasulu, who was then posted in Jogimatti in 2008 - 09, wanted to show pictures of the forest reserve some 30 years apart and was sourcing old photographs. That is when Nagaraj came forward with his photoraphy work. The result was a public exhibition called 'Andu, Indu' (Then, and now). "It was a good event and showcased the positive work done by the forest department," Srinivasulu says.

When Srinivasulu was transferred to the Dandeli tiger reserve, he engaged Nagaraj to paint art promoting eco-friendliness. "He is a good painter. His work caught the imagination of people and generated a lot of interest among tourists and within forest department circles," Srinivasulu says.

Nagaraju prefers a realistic style of painting and portraits. Landscapes and still-life form a large part of his repertoire. His paintings depict animals in their natural environment and he particularly enjoys painting flowing water, and the hills and mountains of the area.

Some of Nagaraj's paintings include wall murals commissioned by the forest department, including art on the walls of the forest department's buildings in the Biligiri Ranganatha Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary. The safari counter and various plaques beside the roads have paintings of elephant, tiger, leopard, bison, and the forest. He has created similar paintings on the department's buildings at the Anekal forest reserve in Bengaluru urban district as well.

Nagaraj finds inspiration from various sources. For instance, when he is out trekking, something catches his eye and triggers an urge in him to paint what he is seeing. He takes a photograph of the same and paints the object when he is back in town. He is also motivated by a desire to spread awareness about forest conservation.

And Nagaraj’s calling to conserve the forest was so strong that he quit his well-paying job as an artist for an art gallery in Bengaluru to move back to Chitradurga. He says though the job offered him financial security, he terribly missed his hometown and the Jogimatti forest.

Currently, the occasional art projects commissioned by the forest department are his only source of income. In the future, he hopes to build a small gallery to promote his artwork.

Watch the latest DH Videos here: