Udupi: Ochre Art Painting Workshop in Ambalpady Temple

By Snehalatha, Udupi
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi, 22 January 2012: The Ochre art paintings which made the various Mutt Temples of coastal areas beautiful at one time are diminishing now hit by the modernization. But great efforts are being made now to reactivate such an art in Ambalpady Temple by the Vrakshakala Vedike. Ganjeefa artist of Mysore Raghupathi Bhat who made the Ganjeefa art which was diminishing into world famous, is conducting this Ochre Art workshop. Under him 13 young artists of Udupi and D.K district are filling life into this art, thus they have given hopes of preserving this art.

 

 

 
Ochre (Kavi) art a traditional painting art and to prepare the required colours for this art the Vanaspatis such as plants, trees and the red soil of anthill are being used. Ancient Indians were using soil, roots of tree, leaves, tree skin, flowers, fruits, seeds and gum to produce white, red, yellow, green and black colours. Mixing these basic colours they were preparing other secondary colours. Preparing the colours itself is an important but diminished education.
 
Using these colours they were painting the pictures of Gods, nature and historical, ancient pictures. These pictures can be preserved for ages and will not get damaged or faded. Raghupathi Bhat says that the pictures drawn in Kalikamba Temple of Sagar, Shivamoga district still beautiful even though they are centuries old.
 
This art which is purely of Indian origin, had spread to the foreign countries 7 – 8 centuries ago and was popular. The Boudhastoopa of China, Shangtoo Temple of Japan, Lal Masjid of Pakistan and some Churches of Europe have paintings using the sacred soil and Vanaspatis of India, says Bhatt.
 
Not for the hobbies of the rich, but for the blossoming of the rural Ochre artists and their livelihood, it is possible to use this art. There is huge demand in the foreign countries today for the good Orche arts. Reactivating this art which is getting life from the soil of Tulunadu anthills and convincing the artists who are depending on the modern technology, that we had our own helthy technology for preparing the colours is the aim of this workshop, says Raghupathi Bhat. He has plans to conduct such workshops in Mangalore and Karwar also.