Amidst the creative corridors of Chitra Kala Parishath over 20 years ago, Geetha Bhat encountered an art form that would shape her life’s calling. The delicate intricacy, the perfect symmetry, and the rhythmic flow of Chittara—a traditional mural art from Karnataka—struck a deep chord within her. “I was awestruck by the fine lines, the precision in every motif,” she recalls. Bhat was already immersed in a world of culture and creativity—trained in French silk painting, Ikebana, and Manikka Malai, a floral art native to Tamil Nadu. But it was Chittara that called to her spirit. Originating in the rain-kissed Malenadu region of Karnataka’s Western Ghats, Chittara pulses with the heartbeat of a community. Passed down by Deevaru women across Shivamogga’s talukas—from Siddapur and Talaguppa to Kuppali and Ikkeri—it is an ode to festivals, nature, and feminine intuition.
“There was very little documentation then. So I journeyed into the heart of these villages, seeking the roots of this beautiful tradition,” Bhat says. She witnessed firsthand how the women painted emotions onto mud walls—each stroke guided not by stencils or rulers, but by ancestral rhythm, echoing through patterns that were both spiritual and celebratory.
But like many indigenous arts, Chittara was quietly fading. Bhat couldn’t bear to see it slip into obscurity. In 2008, she founded the Centre for Revival of Indigenous Art (CFRIA) in Bengaluru—a non-profit dedicated to preserving and promoting this nearly forgotten legacy. Since then, her journey has taken Chittara far beyond the red earth of Karnataka. From presenting research in South Korea and Japan to organising the first international Chittara exhibition in Japan in 2008, she has become its ambassador.
At the heart of her work is community. Bhat collaborates closely with 10 to 15 artists from the villages, inviting them to cities to create, teach, and share. Through CFRIA, she conducts workshops in schools, colleges, galleries, and cultural centres. She also organises immersive trips, guiding enthusiasts into the heart of Chittara’s origins—letting them learn directly from the Deevaru women who carry this art in their blood.
Beyond walls and canvases, Bhat has helped Chittara evolve into sustainable livelihoods—designing eco-friendly products like baskets, torans, and even everyday items adorned with traditional motifs. “Every line, every pattern has meaning,” she says. “And every effort we make is one more step toward ensuring this legacy endures.”
With unwavering passion, Bhat has not only revived a dying art—she has reimagined its place in the modern world. Through her hands, and the hands of the women she empowers, Chittara breathes again.