What makes this Ustav Rock Garden so interesting for students ? Utsav Rock Garden Gotgodi near Shiggaon : a perfect showcasing of folk Art forms which are vanishing in the context of globalization, which has influenced the remote corners of the world……

                                                                As I remember, it all started almost three- four decades back. It is one man’s vision which has been materialized and zoomed to its zenith. No one ever thought the artist, the man behind the project, had nourished such a beautiful dream in the depth of his mind and a strong desire for it in the secret corner of his heart, all these years. To speak about the project, it is almost similar to the Rock Garden Chandigrah by Nekchand  ,  in vision,  but the concept and outcome are totally different. It took years to realize his dream, a splendid dream in fact. The man behind this project is artist Sri T.B.Solbakkanavar. Before taking up this project, he was teaching in an art college, in Davangere, Karnataka. He took voluntary retirement to pursue his dream, which indeed was a very daring step in those days. His faith, commitment and perseverance finally have crowned him with fulfillment and success. His relatives too  have supported for this project.

Artist Sri T.B.Solabakkanavar in the centre

 The tentacles of globalization have touched the remote corners of the globe, bringing lot of cultural changes in villages too. A  close survey discloses that the people in the villages have to switched to modern ways and have got accustomed to new technology and trendy gadgets, discarding their age old methods and objects. With the advent of new technology and villagers’ openness in embracing modernity, life has become easier and comfortable now, even in villages. As a result, the gap between the city and village culture is collapsing very fast these days. Folk Art, Folk Literature, Folk Music and Dance are all the outcome of folk life lived and experienced richly in villages are slowly fading. To preserve our traditional forms, be it literature, dance, music or art, for the posterity, one has to make herculean efforts to revive these forms through contemporizing and making it suitable for the usage of present generation.

 It is very difficult to document folk literature and music especially, as these have been handed over from generation to generation, through oral tradition, whereas the folk art forms have continued as rituals in daily life even today.

   The artist wanted to recreate the fading faces of village life and culture through his undying enthusiasm, for the posterity. The project materialized after  many years’ efforts and hard work. In this site, he has tried to recreate the routine activities of village life which ceased to exist almost decades’ back. A vast land, acres of land, has been used for this dream project, and artists working day and night  here, this space has become one of the best locations for the nearby  high school students to visit for an educational trip. Situated near a town called Shiggaon and the place is known as the Ustav-Rock-Garden  Nearly, thirty thousand people visit this site every day and during the holidays it exceeds more than fifty thousand.

             

Village atmosphere has been recreated here by building houses, shops, cattle sheds, huts and so on. Life size sculptures made in cement and plaster of paris inhibit the houses and shops with rich colorful folk costumes and ornaments. The vessels and other objects of significance relevant to different situations and rituals  have been collected and installed here to represent the rich heritage of village life. The cattle shed is a master piece – life size buffalos, bulloxes, cows stand majestically in this space - the mirror images of these robust engaged in different actions, doubles the visual appeal to the viewers. Life sized folk women sculptures, dressed up in saris and blouses with typical folk design and colors, immersed in diverse activities like cradling, grinding, cleaning, harvesting make the folk literature and songs come alive once again. The village life scenes with all the details presented here show how life has evolved gradually. Along with this, the important historical personalities of this region also have been covered with suitable background. These visuals enlighten the students who visit this place. The artists engaged here keep on experimenting with new materials and methods and come up with creative outcomes. The diverse subjects handled sensitively make this site interesting and informative.     

By Gayatri Desai

What makes this Kinnal Art so precious ?

        The origin of this art can be traced back to Vijayanagar Empire, which had given royal patronage………

                                

                                                                                                   In the previous centuries, art and artists flourished only when the benevolent kings gave them enough encouragement, support and patronage. No doubt, only with the royal support art flourished and survived in India, in the early times. A deep look into the history of art unveils the facts that the rulers  of  India  were so  cultured and well versed in art, literature, music, architecture, religion and philosophies that they initiated artists into building up marvelous architectural monuments like Ajanta, Ellora, Sanchi Stupa, Taj Mahal and GolGumbaz, and creating long lasting literature and creating  schools of paintings. Different dynasties came up with different styles of architecture and paintings, which were the outcome of  the visions of the rulers as well as regional influence. To name a few, the confluence of Persian Art, Greek Art with Indian  Art has  led to a rich, vibrant art development and legacy in India . The magnificent ruins of Hampi stand as testimony to the patronage of Vijayanagar rulers. The Vijayanagar rulers ruled from 1336 to 1565 AD.  During the Vijaynagar empire, art, literature, music, architecture culminated to its zenith.    

Throughout art history, be it eastern or western art history, one learns that it was mainly either empires or religious institutions which  patronaged artists  and  made great efforts to the promotion of art. Only at the end of the 19^th century, we come to know of artists practicing independently and making artworks for their satisfaction.

History of KinnalArt                                                                                                                                                                                               It is a branch of Vijayanagar Art, which flourished in 14^thto 16^th CE in Karnatak. VijayaNagar was a very famous and rich empire, which it had a glorious flourishing time during the reign of ruler Krishnadevraya. During his period, art, literature, music and architecture developed like anything. Hampi – the vast area stretching for kilometers requires at least a couple months to cover monuments and appreciate the art works, which have spread across.  Hampi has beenas recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The VijayaNagar Empire[ 1336 – 1565 CE] was attacked by Deccan Sultanates, resulting in defeat and looting all the treasure the empire had. The battle of Talikota was a battle between the Deccan Sultanates and Vijaynagar ruler  in a place called Tallikote ,on 23 Jan, 1565. In this battle, Vijaynagar ruler was beheaded and the Vijaynagar empire was taken over by the Sultanate.  After the fall of the empire, the artists lost the royal patronage. The disruption led the artists to migrate to different towns and cities which had favorable conditions to survive. Some artists moved to Kinnal, some to Mysore, some to Surpur, and some to Tanjaore. Wherever the artist went and settled, they developed a unique style imbibing the traditional local customs and religious aspects. This combining of the local elements with the previous streaks of Vijaynagar art led to a different unique style that has evolved over the years and survived till today. In the present scenario, it is really difficult to nurse these traditional art forms until and unless they are revived on new lines keeping in mind the present day demands of the market.

                                                                                                                                                                                                   

The procedure  and artefacts                                                                                                                                                                           

An art student learning the traditional art form

 Kinnal is situated near Koppal, on the way to Hospet. It is a small town where many families in town are engaged in Kinnal art practicing. Kinnal art form is very attractive to look at, but is a very laborious process. Light and delicately painted wooden artifacts are handmade.  Neem or drumstick tree wood is used for preparing the works. Usually, the works are done with light wood. The color preparation process is very lengthy and rigorous. Earlier, the artisans were using organic colors, but since the process is very laborious, the present day artists are using chemical colors that are easily available in the market. With tamarind seed paste mixed with liquid gum, the ground is prepared for the painting. The pebble powder mixed with glue is used for embossing. First and foremost, the works gets started with yellow primary color. Red, dark brown, green and blue colors are used subsequently. For the embossed part, the foil paper is stuck with glue, which gives a unique beauty and splendor to the art work. The artisans make chairs, tables, cradles, plaques, god – stands and so on. The tables and plaques usually have six or eight corners. Kinnal dolls, fruits and vegetables are also equally famous. Kinnal “Gouri” , a figurine of goddess, is very famous.  Since it is detachable, it is easy for decoration and preservation, after the ritual

.

Sri. Narayanappa Chitragar  demonstrating 

Now in Kinnal town , only a few families are practicing this art form for their lively hood since it does not fetch a handsome income to survive on, as these artisans do not know how to market these art works. The families who are engaged in this art practice are called as Chitragar.

Religious themes like Puranas and Dashavatara adore the body of the artifacts along with creepers, fruits, flowers, birds and animals. A close observation reflects the influence of Deccani Miniatures, which has  been absorbed in the subsequent years. After the Vijaynagar Empire’s royal patronage was lost, it was Nawabs and Desais of Koppal who extended patronage to this art form to survive. But , at present, these artists do not have any kind of support like the yester years.

In the present situation, these art forms need revival and proper marketing strategies to survive and flourish.  By contemporizing the forms and changing the materials to the requirement of the market, the art form can survive and the depending families too can flourish economically.

By Gayatri Desai

Rain,Reading,Ginger Tea Make the Monsoon Memorable: My son's father by poet Dom Moraes and Raj by Gita Mehta

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             This year the monsoon set in earlier than the last year. The monsoon is always awaited eagerly and passionately, year after year. One never gets tired of this season. This year, the monsoon is bit special. It started early, it came with a great force, it confined all of us to home nearly for more than a month. Staying indoors for more than one month without the glimpse of sun rays appeared a little upsetting as we Indians are used to sunny days, but other things made the house confinement fruitful and interesting. The rain has been lashing day and night, filling the rivers and canals to the brim. Some places have received such a heavy rainfall that the roads,houses, hospitals,offices and undergrounds are filled with water, inconveniencing the citizens for weeks together. Every day, the newspapers alerting about the continuation of heavy rain fall have been reporting the devastation that  has been created in different areas, but the other side of the  monsoon cool and romantic, favorite of all creative persons. With the rain outside, with endless cups of tea and tasty snacks like pakodas following , the monsoon appears as the heaven for a creative person.

 In my town, it has been raining day and night. Sometimes, it lashes so furiously that the sound makes one scary. The continuous rain has kept me indoors, except for brief visits to the shops to buy necessary things. After lunch, covering myself with a shawl, I huddle into a corner with a book  and a couple of cushions for  comfort. A book and cups of ginger tea make the day !

 Since  a long time I wanted to read My Son's Father, a famous autobiographical book by Dom Moraes.  I got engrossed into it as I started it. Very candidly written book this is, which reveals the journey of a budding poet. Dom Moraes was an Indian writer and journalist. His father Frank Moraes was an editor for many leading news papers in India before independence, and he was an Indian correspondent for war times in Burma and China.  Because of his father's profession and extensive contacts, as a boy Dom Moraes had lot of opportunities to meet famous and influential people and visit many countries, even during war time. The exposure to politics, exposure to war situations, exposure to different geographical locations in the childhood offered ample scope to have wider and multiple perspectives and to crystallize his thoughts as a sensitive poet.  On the other hand, he unveils the traumatic childhood experiences regarding his mother's health, but his father 's unfailing love and support enables him to realize his dream as a poet, finally.  The interesting part in the book is, he meets famous poets and authors during his studying abroad. Life in Oxford, meeting with poets, discussions with great personalities in the cafes, girlfriends, travelling to  the European countries at the age of 19 - all the realities of western world and culture have been written very frankly. It is definitely a very interesting read.

          After this autobiographical book, I laid my hand on the book Raj which is written by  Gita Mehta, who happens to be the daughter of Biju Patnaik and the sister of Naveen patnaik, the chief ministers of Orissa, India. Gita Mehta studied in India and England- Cambridge University. She has worked as journalist and documentary film maker. Though the book is in fictional form, it is based  on the well researched historical facts of the colonial power  in India. The book deals with the colonial period and presents the vivid picture of the changing conditions of the Maharajas[ princes] in the colonial era.  Some incidents like famine show how the people of India suffered , resulting in endless death and dire poverty.  The issue like the British convincing princes to give land for the railway projects  enlighten the readers on many subtle hidden agendas. No doubt, it is a very interesting fictional novel based on historical facts. There are some details and descriptions of Maharajas attending the coronation of queen Elizabeth, which tease the sensibilities of readers. On the whole, it is a good read with historical details.

Still the rain has continued and the sky is overcast. The smell of ginger is lingering.

Rain,Reading,Ginger Tea make the Monsoon memorable:My Son's Father, a famous autobiographical book by poet Dom Moraes and Raj by Gita Mehta is a fiction based on researched historical facts

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

                                                                          This year the monsoon set in earlier than the last year. The monsoon is always awaited eagerly and passionately, year after year. One never gets tired of this season. This year, the monsoon is bit special. It started early, it came with a great force, it confined all of us to home nearly for more than a month. Staying indoors for more than one month without the glimpse of sun rays appeared a little upsetting as we Indians are used to sunny days, but other things made the house confinement fruitful and interesting. The rain has been lashing day and night, filling the rivers and canals to the brim. Some places have received such a heavy rainfall that the roads,houses, hospitals,offices and undergrounds are filled with water, inconveniencing the citizens for weeks together. Every day, the newspapers alerting about the continuation of heavy rain fall have been reporting the devastation that  has been created in different areas, but the other side of the  monsoon cool and romantic, favorite of all creative persons. With the rain outside, with endless cups of tea and tasty snacks like pakodas following , the monsoon appears as the heaven for a creative person.

 In my town, it has been raining day and night. Sometimes, it lashes so furiously that the sound makes one scary. The continuous rain has kept me indoors, except for brief visits to the shops to buy necessary things. After lunch, covering myself with a shawl, I huddle into a corner with a book  and a couple of cushions for  comfort. A book and cups of ginger tea make the day !

 Since  a long time I wanted to read My Son's Father, a famous autobiographical book by Dom Moraes.  I got engrossed into it as I started it. Very candidly written book this is, which reveals the journey of a budding poet. Dom Moraes was an Indian writer and journalist. His father Frank Moraes was an editor for many leading news papers in India before independence, and he was an Indian correspondent for war times in Burma and China.  Because of his father's profession and extensive contacts, as a boy Dom Moraes had lot of opportunities to meet famous and influential people and visit many countries, even during war time. The exposure to politics, exposure to war situations, exposure to different geographical locations in the childhood offered ample scope to have wider and multiple perspectives and to crystallize his thoughts as a sensitive poet.  On the other hand, he unveils the traumatic childhood experiences regarding his mother's health, but his father 's unfailing love and support enables him to realize his dream as a poet, finally.  The interesting part in the book is, he meets famous poets and authors during his studying abroad. Life in Oxford, meeting with poets, discussions with great personalities in the cafes, girlfriends, travelling to  the European countries at the age of 19 - all the realities of western world and culture have been written very frankly. It is definitely a very interesting read.

          After this autobiographical book, I laid my hand on the book Raj which is written by  Gita Mehta, who happens to be the daughter of Biju Patnaik and the sister of Naveen patnaik, the chief ministers of Orissa, India. Gita Mehta studied in India and England- Cambridge University. She has worked as journalist and documentary film maker. Though the book is in fictional form, it is based  on the well researched historical facts of the colonial power  in India. The book deals with the colonial period and presents the vivid picture of the changing conditions of the Maharajas[ princes] in the colonial era.  Some incidents like famine show how the people of India suffered , resulting in endless death and dire poverty.  The issue like the British convincing princes to give land for the railway projects  enlighten the readers on many subtle hidden agendas. No doubt, it is a very interesting fictional novel based on historical facts. There are some details and descriptions of Maharajas attending the coronation of queen Elizabeth, which tease the sensibilities of readers. On the whole, it is a good read with historical details.

Still the rain has continued and the sky is overcast. The smell of ginger is lingering.