Deccan always surprises you in different ways. It has its natural beauty with greens and blues, outstanding rock-cut temples, exciting handcrafts and beautiful cultural heritage. Many art enthusiasts visit the southern parts of India every year to explore the beauty of civilisations and enriched cultures. Like Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, and Kathakali dance, various crafts and painting styles are also famous in South India. Kinnala is one of the most famous crafts in the Deccan land. Kinnala is a relatively unique ancient Indian art which dates back to the 15th to 16th century CE. This uncommon art form came from the village of Kinhal in the Koppal district, Karnataka. If you want to explore different types of Indian art as well as handcrafts, then Kinnala must be on your list. Natural raw materials and unique methods make the craft interesting for art enthusiasts. Kinnala craft can give you the essence of the Vijayanagar Emperor and the idea of an artistic lineage of the Deccan people. 

The storyline behind Kinnala Craft 

Kinnala craft or Kinnala Art originated during the reign of the Vijaynagar Kingdom of South India. Kings of the Vijaynagar empire invited craft people from different parts of the country to decorate their capital Hampi. At an early age, practitioners of this craft were called 'Chitragars', which means one who can draw and paint both. Even today, in many villages, Chitragars are involved in this artwork. During the time of the Vijaynagar kings, these artists decorated many palaces and temples throughout the Hampi kingdom. Pampapateshwara Temple is famous for its mural paintings and intricate artworks on wooden chariots, which the ancestors of Kinnala artists completed. After the Vijaynagar empire's decline, Chitragar communities migrated throughout Karnataka, Hyderabad, and Tamilnadu. During this critical time, Nawabs of Hyderabad, Nawabs of Koppal, and Desais of Kinnal helped them to get shelter and restart their art practices. 

When maximum numbers of artists migrated to Hyderabad and Tamilnadu state, artists started their journey from here. After some decades, this art became known in Kinnal village and became widely popular as Kinnala craft. Wood, paper and cloth were used to make these crafts for portraying classical as well as mythological stories. The Kinnala craft got the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2012. It indicates the enriched background with reputed qualities of the particular artwork. These artwork are famous for their glossy finish and vibrant colors. Currently, artists depict current affairs and social events through their artworks apart from traditional characters and animals. Due to the inadequacy of expert painters, Kinnala craft is facing challenges for expansion. Today, only twenty-five families are associated with this art. 

Tools and raw materials

To make a perfect Kinnala mask, an artist needs different tools and raw materials to complete the entire artwork. Teak wood and plywood are two significant items to make the base of these crafts. Moreover, painting brushes are made of squirrels' tail hair to keep the softness. Artists of Kinnala craft like to use primitive tools and ancient methods to maintain the legacy. All raw materials are easily available in the market and artists can easily collect these across the state. Neem and rubber gum or adhesive are collected from natural ingredients and used for making Kinnala masks. Artists use lubricant oil and palm tree extracts to make the colour glossy and vibrant. Here some essential tools and raw materials are mentioned that are used in making Kinnala craft.

  • Sandpaper: It helps to make the surface smooth. 
  • Chalk powder: It is used to make for gesso work. 
  • Silver foil: It is used to make the embossed design. 
  • Zinc powder: Zinc helps to hold the paints, especially for thavra work. 
  • Stone tool: Heaps to rub thavra artworks and prepare the surface smooth. 
  • Wood: Structures of the craft develop from wood. 
  • Paints: Poster and enamel paints are generally used for Kinnala craft. 
  • Varnish: To make the painting glossy, the varnish is applied to the final product. 
  • Wood polish: It helps to make the golden colour for the craft. 

Methods 

Kinnala arts are done on ordinary wooden slabs that are cut into different shapes like circles, octagons, hexagons and squares. The board is evenly coated with a mixture of chalk powder and gum before being painted on top of it and allowed to dry. Sanding on the surface with sandpaper makes it level and smooth for painting.

According to the necessary sketches, the designs are imprinted onto the foundation surface. The borders and the centre of the wooden object are textured with gesso. Gesso is a mixture of chalk powder, distemper colour, and gum. 

Generally, the gesso work is done on the canvas's edges or in the middle. Flowers, animals and leaves surround the entire artwork, including any legendary characters in the center. With the aid of adhesive, silver foil is chopped into the desired shape and spread uniformly over the gesso work.

Products 

One of the most famous works of south Indian art among art enthusiasts is the Kinnala wall hanging. In Kinnala crafts, the foundation wood is shaped into different forms such as hexagons, squares, octagons and circles. Available sizes of these crafts are 18x24 inches, 20x26 inches and 22x28 inches. Sometimes, these artworks are also available at A4 (210x297mm) as per requirements. Some famous Kinnala products are as below:

  • Toys
  • Home decorators
  • Wall hangings
  • Table display
  • Wooden chariot 
  • Masks 

Santoshkumar Chitragar, the most famous artist of Kinnala art

Due to the lack of effective raw materials and market demands, very few artists are showing their interest in Kinnala crafts. Santoshkumar Chitragar is an award-winning artist with many prizes for making exclusive Kinnala crafts. Using social media and digital applications, he tries to connect with his customers and promotes his artworks in front of many people. Currently, he has started a small workshop where he trains many students and insists they sustain these art forms. 

Current scenarios

Different kinds of online platforms, such as ARTSofINDIA.in, are working to increase awareness about such art forms as well as recognize artists across the country. We believe that Kinnala craft will become popular again among art enthusiasts in the future. We hope that the glory of these artworks will spread across the globe and that the demand for these crafts will grow again.



Picture Source: d'source