R. Krishhnan created thousands of tribal life throughout his life. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
As a young honey collector, R. Krishnan, he looked at the respect of more than 3,000 -year -old rock art in his native Vellarikombai village near Kotagiri, Nilgiris. The place is inextricably linked to the history and culture of Alu Kurumbas, who settled the village where Mr. Kršnan was born, who later took over Nom de Plme – “Kitna”.
Most community members are attributed to almost one hand by popularizing Kurebs’ art through their canvas and fabric images for the best part of three decades, and his sudden death a few weeks ago left most of the community in shock, although they acknowledge that his legacy could help preserve the disappeared of the tribal community known as Alu Kurums.
Rock art pages known as “Ezhuth Paarai” in the Velarikombi Village in Nilgiris, on which ALU Kurumbas draws inspiration for their art. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
When he spoke to Hindu, N. Thiroorty, Project Manager in Nilgiri Adivasi Welfare Association (Nawa) and Mr. Krishnana’s relative, he said many of the Alu Kurumba who lived in Vellarikombai would often paint the characters based on their traditional hunting techniques. Grosers on their traditional groses, clogged, clogged to their harbinger, UCSan to pom and worship on their harbinger, worship in their traditional artistic place and worship their traditional and devices to worship. their houses. “However, these paintings and their styles have never been transferred to paper, fabrics, canvas or other media to maintain for offspring.”
Despite Alu Kurumbs of the long history of Vellarikombi with art painting around and on their houses, the arrival of a non -governmental organization took to help the community use their natural affinities to produce art and help them to cultivate livelihoods that more than 40 community members continue to support.
“At the end of the 90s, as a researcher studying the locality of rock art in Nilgiris and tribal communities, Krishnan, along with several others, were my guides who first took me to rock art sites,” said M. Kumaravel, field officer of the CPR environmental center. Mr. Kumaravel said he noticed the works of art produced by Alu Kurumbs on the walls of their homes and, together with the President of the CP Ramaswami Aiyar Nandita Krishn, encouraged the community to replicate its drawings on screen, clothing and paper.
Example of paintings alu Kurumbas. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Organic colors
Other community leader ALU Kurumbas, JR Mani, said Hindu that Kishhnan only studied in class 6 and would use only organic colors from leaves, twigs, grass, manure and mud. “While his art was inspired by rock art in Vellarikombai, he produced through his paintings by the countless depiction of tribal life,” said Mr. Mani, who estimates that Kishnan has created thousands of impressions throughout his life.
What distinguishes the drawing of Alu Kurumbas from their styles was their reliance on colors made almost only from the materials collected from the forest.
“For example, the rubber from the cinema tree (Pterocarpus Marsupium) would be used to produce five different colors, while the red -throat pigment from the mud was another main color he used,” Mr. Thirumurty said over the years that they were sold over the years that their paintings were sold from 400 ° C and the Countva. 2,500, and curator and to deal with 2,500 and performance.
Despite his passage 20. P. Chandran, the program coordinator of the team of people and nature in Keystone Foundation in Kotagiri, said that even the day before his death, that Mr. Krishhnan participated in the training of school students on the replication of the traditional style of art work Kurums.
“He spent March 19th by teaching students about how to paint traditional works of community, and March 20, early in the morning, we received news about his sudden passage,” said Mr. Chandran, who said that artists who trained Mr. Krishhnan would ensure that his inheritance would live.
Geographic indicator brand (GI)
“His only dream was to preserve the artistic form of Kurumbas and made immense efforts to gain images created by Alu Kurumbas and a geographical indicator (GI) to have intellectual rights over the arts they produce,” the community members said.
Published – April 14, 2025 17:59
