Jul 12 2025 to Jul 12 2025 6 p.m.

Where

Bangalore International Centre

7 4th Main Rd, Stage 2, Domlur 560071

Event Description

Presented by CFRIA, the book Deevara Chittara – The Art, the People and their Culture – is the first of its kind to archive and document indigenous folk art Chittara and related depleting eco-friendly handicrafts. 

The outcome of a two-year intense field work and research, this book documents Chittara, its versatility and the local Malenadu culture it is rooted in, with a special focus on the Deevaru community women who have refined it into an intricate art. It addresses the dearth of resources on Chittara, essential to keep this living tradition alive. The book informs the reader of the various facets of the art form — its intricacies, symbolism, use of natural materials, the role of women in the art, its link to social customs like marriages and festivals — of which Chittara is an integral part. The book makes creative use of related folk songs, proverbs and riddles. It is a valuable and comprehensive resource on one of the most refined folk art practices in our country.

CFRIA is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and revival of Chittara, an intricate folk art practiced by the women of the Deevaru community in the Malenadu region of Karnataka. The organisation has spent the last 20 years working closely with artisans from this region to preserve and celebrate this sacred and intricate mural art form. 

In collaboration with:

Speakers

Geetha Bhat
Founder, CFRIA & Co-author, Deevara Chittara
Geetha Bhat, the founder of Centre for Revival of Indigenous Arts, is a multifaceted artist, educator, and cultural ambassador with a diverse background in traditional arts, including Origami, Ikebana, and Chittara folk art. She has been promoting numerous Indian and international artists, over the past 40 years. Geetha has presented research papers at various prestigious international conferences and has exhibited chittara murals in elite institutions and public spaces. She has been involved with Indo-Japanese art and culture since the 1970s, and continues as the Program Director at Indo-Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IJCCI), Karnataka. She received special honours at the Attendance Annual Awards 2024, for her long-standing work promoting crafts and chittara.

Smitha Tumuluru
Photographer & Co-author, Deevara Chittara
Smitha is a documentary photographer-writer, specializing in research-based visual narratives that focus on rural communities, exploring livelihoods, gender, art, and culture. Since 2017, she has been documenting Tamil Nadu’s Irular tribe, publishing a series of feature stories on People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI). She won the 2024 Feature of the Year award at the Rainbow Lit Fest – Queer & Inclusive, for her impactful storytelling. Smitha collaborates with social and development organizations on visual projects and human interest stories. With a background in the development sector, she blends photography, research and writing to bring depth to narratives of underrepresented communities. In 2021, she founded Photokari, an online platform offering Fine Art prints of photographs from her collections. Her work has been exhibited internationally in Singapore, Malaysia and New York.

Namrata Cavale
Publication Designer, Deevara Chittara
Namrata is a multi-disciplinary designer with a passion for indigenous arts, crafts and textiles. She works with NGOs and social enterprises on building their products and aesthetics, through a systemic approach which fosters sustainability. Between 2018-2022, she co-founded and ran Vrtta, a sustainable design consultancy focusing on handcraft and making locally. With social impact and craft documentation at the core of her practice, she has worked across textile craft, skill development, upcycling and special-needs spaces. She has been associated with CFRIA and chittara since 2018 and worked on multiple projects from designing garments to murals for the organization. She has also been working to build Tavaru, a brand that is reviving the khowdi quilt craft as a means to economic & social empowerment for women from Northern Karnataka.

Digatekoppa Annappa
Chittara artist

Gademane Padmavathy
Chittara artist