Hase Chittara

Hase-chitra or hasse-chittara is a folk art performed by the community of Deewaru in the Sagara, Shimoga and Uttara Kannada regions of Karnataka State.

Material Used for Hase Chittara

The walls are painted with red clay, which is common in this area, and the paintings are painted with white paint made from white clay glutinous rice paste. Each of these painting’s patterns and lines symbolizes a natural aspect or represents the religious and social agricultural practices of the community. This painting was found on the walls, door frames and front doors of villages in the Malenadu region.

The materials used in this art are natural. The community produces its own paints from natural resources such as wild berry, bark, seeds, minerals, stones, and vegetables. Akki Hittu (rice flour), Kemmannu (red soil), Kaare Kai (berry), Masi Kenda (coal), Hittu, Guragekaai (giving yellow colour), turmeric, Sunna (limestone), milk, etc. are used to creat black, white, yellow, red natural colours.

Types of Painting

The design of the picture is common in the local community, but it can be divided into three types depending on how the colours are used. Kappu hase, Bili hase and Kemmannu hase are the three types.

How are the drawings made?

Paintings were found on the door frames, walls and window frames. One can also make it from a bamboo basket. Generally, the base is Kemanu (red clay). While decorating the bamboo basket, cow dung and red clay is mixed to make a base. To draw the line, the community uses natural brushes made of natural fiber and grass straw. Today, artists who have learned this art from the community are using paintbrushes and artificial colours.

This art is performed at weddings and celebrations named bhoomi hunnime habba. At this Festival, the women decorates bamboo baskets with this type of art. At the wedding ceremony, it is drawn on the wall where the ceremony is held.