Arts and Theater

A walk through history – the Hasta Shilpa Heritage Village

Sustainable tourism meets architectural marvels at the HASTA SHILPA HERITAGE Village. ADITI PAUL visits this re-structured hamlet in coastal Karnataka.

Tucked away in an idyllic corner of Karnataka is the small town of Manipal. Host to a vibrant student community and a quaint getaway destination, the coastal region is home to the Hasta Shilpa Heritage Village, which seeks to preserve the architectural and cultural wonders of India in a time of rampant modernization.

Spread over 7 acres of land, the internationally recognised heritage site was started as a passion project in the 70s and 80s by Vijayanath Shenoy, a renowned heritage conservatist and antique collector. The now open-air museum was first an attempt to conserve and protect the historical generational homes that can be found across India. Dipping into his savings, Mr Shenoy sought to relocate and restore traditional homes and palaces from across Karnataka, resulting in the establishment of a village that now hosts 26 such structures, alongside art galleries of cultural artefacts.

By focusing on preservation, the late Mr Shenoy aimed to provide visitors with an experience of times bygone – thus, all antiques and objects are displayed in the open air, and one can enter some of the homes on display. One such ethnographic structure is the Hasta Shilpa Heritage House, which was previously Mr Shenoy’s residential space. Now, the home is partially open to the public, and displays within its rooms the different toys and playthings that have been rescued over the years. By far, this village sets an example of what sustainable tourism in India could look like, should efforts be taken.

The heritage village and the Hasta Shilpa House are currently managed by the Hasta Shilpa Trust, which provides unguided as well as guided tours for cheap to all. The area truly resembles a picturesque hamlet, with walking lanes resembling village streets, and a Bazaar Street for reconstructed shops ‘selling’ vessels, pickling tools and jars, toys, cloth, and other scavenged treasures. Pan-Indian architectural styles are the real drawing factor – ranging from Rajasthani opulence to Maratha simplicity, or an echo of the Deccan region and the Vijayanagar kingdom. You can also see early Portuguese designs, as seen at the Mangalorean Christian House. Although the village is open throughout the year, summer and winter are the best seasons for a visit. Take a couple of days to truly immerse in the time-stuck village and explore widely the forgotten styles of Indian architecture.

How To Get There: To get to Hasta Shilpa, one needs to go to Manipal. The closest airport lies in Mangalore, from where you can get a cab or bus to the town. Udupi is the closest railway station, from where you can board a bus or take a rickshaw to the heritage village. Manipal also offers budget stays at its numerous hotels.

Cost: Guided tours at the village are available only on the weekends and cost INR 500 per adult, and INR 300 for children between 10 to 14 years. Unguided tours can be taken on all days except Mondays, at the cost of INR 200 per adult, and INR 150 for children between 10 to 14 years of age.

July 27, 2021

Hasta Shilpa Heritage Village, Heritage Village

Reviving the art of storytelling: Chitrakathi

The once popular Chitrakathi, storytelling through paintings, is brought back to life by the Gangawane family in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg. Ketki Gadre interviews the last family practicing this art form to delve into their motivations and the supporters who have aided them on this journey. After a long day of trekking the Western Ghats around Bhogwe Beach in Sindhudurg, my luxury resort, Coco Shambhala, suggested an unusual activity – an art class. They agreed to it and invited Chetan Gangavane, a third-generation Chitrakathi artist working to revive this art form. Chitrakathi Art While setting up the art activity, Mr Chetan briefs me about the 11 art forms his community (Thakar) has been involved with for generations. His family currently practices three art forms unique to Maharashtra: String puppetry, Chitrakathi, and Shadow puppetry. “Chitrakathi involves storytelling through art on a 12×15” or 12×18” canvas, which can take 1-3 days to complete, depending on the painting’s intricacy. Traditionally, these paintings depicted scenes from mythological epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata, accompanied by live singers playing instruments. Therefore, Chitrakathi artists needed not only painting skills but also the ability to sing and play instruments,” explains Mr. Chetan. The Thakar community, an Adivasi tribe living in the forests, gained recognition for their art from the erstwhile warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He brought them out of forests and closer to towns and provided them opportunities to perform art shows during festivals. In return, the community assisted the king by spreading messages of social enlightenment through their art. The artists earned their livelihood for many years through food or monetary donations. However, over time, attitudes shifted, and people stopped donating food and began treating them with disrespect. The Gangavane family is the last Thakar community to practice this centuries-old art form. The rest gave up with

Arts and Theater

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Arts and Theater

Art on Your Fingertips

Rooftop is a community-driven art experiences marketplace App that makes traditional Indian art forms accessible to the world. This App is a one-stop destination for all art needs, which is bridging the gap between Indian artisans and art lovers all over the world. This first-of-its-kind art technology company endeavours to curate art and recreational activities based on traditional art. Bindu Gopal Rao in conversation with the Founder of Rooftop, Kartik Gaggar. Rooftop was started to help the arts and artists. “Whilst travelling I came across so many different indigenous artists that were struggling to create value for their crafts. I was impressed with their skills and the passion with which they continued to love their heritage despite the challenges. When I started Rajasthan Studio, I wanted to bring art lovers closer to the artists and regenerate value for the arts. In 2020, when the pandemic hit, this provided me with an opportunity to revamp and pivot to a digital/online space with Rooftop. This enterprise was a brainchild of long hours of work, tears, and a zeal to make Indian traditional arts mainstream again,” explains Kartik Gaggar, CEO & Founder, of Rooftop. So how does it work? Rooftop works for art lovers and artists. It intends to connect the two and create revenue and value for different art forms scattered around the country. Rooftop onboards artists and experts based on their level of skills and love for their craft. The team record either workshops or courses with them to then market the same to different target audiences ranging from simple art lovers to hardcore artists. They also have subscription plans for people who are passionate about learning and upskilling. “Subscription is a great way to consume art and courses are great as it also gives you a personal connection with the