INTACH-Chitrakala Parishat bid to preserve State's artistic heritage

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, JUNE 9. The INTACH-Chitrakala Parishat Art Conservation Centre is making an attempt to conserve the artistic heritage of the State.

Art and architecture were encouraged by the Wadiyar maharajas. Mural and oil paintings, paper and palm-leaf manuscripts found in temples and public buildings bear testimony to this. In addition to this, a sizeable collection of manuscripts, books, paintings and other artifacts are in private hands.

While the larger museums elsewhere have conservation laboratories, there has been practically no facility to take care of the State's heritage. But during the past four months, 30 such privately-owned paintings have found their way into the INTACH- Chitrakala Parishat Art Conservation Centre, where they are preserved. This is the biggest collection the centre has received since its inception in 1993, of which most are traditional Mysore paintings.

Mr. Chandrahas Bhat, co-ordinator, INTACH, said paintings were constantly exposed to adverse climatic condition, pollution and fungus. Neglect, mishandling and vandalism also posed a danger.

However, the centre had been able to conserve and restore only 200 artefacts since 1993. Mr. Bhat said many people possessing such artefacts had a misconception that the centre would confiscate them. ``Neither the centre nor the Government has any right to confiscate them. We sincerely aim at conserving them for the next generation,'' he said.

Also, on account of the money required for conservation, people were hesitant to approach the centre, he said. Therefore, the centre had resolved to approach industrialists and other organisations seeking sponsorship for the conservation of paintings owned by people, who could not afford the expenses.

Mr. Bhat said lack of education and information about artistic heritage had been a hindrance. Stating that conservation was a new concept to the people here, he said a majority of the people thought of it as repainting. The experts at the centre, the only one of its kind in Karnataka, restored the decaying artefacts with scientifically-proven methods without damaging the original work, Mr. Bhat said.

Unfortunately, the Government had turned a blind eye to the problem. Repeated requests for grants made by the centre and the public brought no response, he added.

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Section  : Southern States
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