Nested in the ranges of the verdant Western Ghats of North Kanara District,(Karnataka, India) lives the Deevaru community. It's no wonder that this community living in the sheer magic of the landscapes of the region with its rich flora and fauna, have created exquisite art and craft forms that blend with the natural environs. Chittara style of painting is their lei motif indigenous art form. Chittara is a Kannada word for "painting" or "drawing".

Chittara drawings are intricate patterns that represent the auspicious ceremonies and riturals of life symbolized in geometric patterns. This requires a certain understanding of geometry, ratios and proportions, which the women of the community have been using with great dexterity.

There are no written records about the genesis of the art form, but the tales passed on from generations say that the first Chittara drawings were done primarily for marriage ceremonies. These painting depict a couple, a palanquin and two arms, a symbol of the protection offered to the couple by the goddess of love 'Madana Kai'. There are other variations such as "Gopurada Chittara",(Gopura means the tower of the temple) Mooru Gopurada Chittara, denotes three towers, Hadinaru Moole Aarathi, which is a geometric pattern with sixteen corners, Chikkal Bakkal Chinnai, which depicts fertility.

Bagilu Chittara adorns the doors and windows of their dwellings. This folk art was, and still is a part of their day-to-day life. It was never a profession but a practice that had artistic and socio-cultural value.

The paintings are usually 2 to 3 feet in size, aesthetically refined, made of symbols representing their physical environment. They use eco-friendly natural resources like ground rice paste for white colour, roasted rice for black, yellow seeds and red earth and the brushes are made of Arecanut fibre.

For women of the Deevaru Community, Chittara paintings are a source of great joy, beauty and creativity. They are proud of their tradition, socially bounded and culturally integrated by unique customs and ritualistic practices.

Undoubtedly, the wealth of artistic workmanship holds eternal value. Amidst the urban landscape, treasures of handicrafts like Chittara will certainly provide enriching relief in our daily life.