Hase Chittara Painting
Folk Painting
History
Chittara, or Hase Chitra, is a folk art of Karnataka’s Deevaru community, thriving in Sirevanthe village. Rooted in their cultural heritage, it reflects their reverence for water and nature. The Deevaru, primarily farmers, grow rice, sugarcane, and areca nut while preserving traditions like mat weaving. Chittara’s intricate motifs depict rituals, beliefs, and daily life, ensuring their artistic legacy endures despite modern influences.
Raw Materials and Tools
Hase Chittara paintings use natural materials and simple tools. The base is made from soil colors like red, brown, and yellow, with pigments sourced from rice flour, red mud, coal, turmeric, and limestone. Artists use paddy sticks instead of brushes to create intricate geometric patterns on mud walls or floors. This sustainable practice preserves the Deevaru community’s cultural heritage and artistic authenticity.
Process
Hase Chittara painting begins with preparing a mud wall or floor as the canvas, coated with natural soil colors. Artists use rice flour, red mud, coal, turmeric, berries, and limestone for pigments. Using paddy sticks, they create symbolic geometric patterns representing nature, rituals, and daily life. Depicting farming, marriage, and traditions, these intricate designs preserve Deevaru culture. Despite modernization, Hase Chittara remains a vivid expression of heritage and storytelling.
Design and Color
Hase Chittara art features natural, symbolic colors—white (purity), red mud, coal, berries, limestone, turmeric, and milk—creating an earthy palette. Inspired by nature, it uses geometric shapes: circles for the sun and moon, triangles for trees and mountains. These intricate designs depict daily life, nature, and spiritual beliefs, preserving Deevaru heritage through meaningful patterns and traditions.
Product Range
Hase Chittara paintings, traditionally on mud walls and floors, now adorn handmade paper, canvas, wood, and fabric. Artisans create wall hangings, decorative panels, wooden plaques, and murals, expanding accessibility while preserving cultural heritage.
