EO LAUNCHES KALAMKARI COURSE IN SVITSA

TIRUPATI, DEC 12: TTD EO Sri MG Gopal on Thursday started two-year Certificate Course in the traditional fabric art of Kalamkari in TTD-run Sri Venkateswara Institute of Traditional Sculpture and Architecture(SVITSA) inTirupati.

Addressing the occasion he called upon the students to protect the traditional art and architecture. As a part of encouraging the students who excelled in traditonal art of architecture which is the identity of Hindu temples, TTD has deposited an amount of Rs.1lakh on each student in a national bank. As on February 28, an amount to the tune of Rs.1.18cr which includes the amount belonging to 118 students has been deposited in the bank so far along with the interest amount.

He asked the students to develop creativity and articraft deities which emanate aesthetic feel. Later the EO distributed merit certificates and an amount of Rs.1,06,554 to each one of 21students belonging to Temple Architecture, Stone sculpture, Sudai sculpture, Metal sculpture, Wood sculpture and Traditional painting who excelled in the 2013-13 academic year.

Meanwhile in ancient times, groups of singers, musicians and painters better known as chitrakattis, used to roam villages and hamlets and propagated the great stories of Hindu mythology by taking the support of paintings on canvas painted on the spot with rudimentary means and dyes extracted from plants, for better illustration among rural masses. Hence the famous “Kalamkari Art” emerged which has been in vogue since ages.

However with the advent of modern art forms, this traditional art has taken back seat. To revive this and bring back the past glory to this unique art, TTD has launched this certificate course with ten seats. Seven students have joined the course which commenced on Thursday.

TTD Incharge Educational Officer Sri P Sesha Reddy, SVITSA Principal Sri Devadasu, other faculty and students were also present.

ISSUED BY TTDs PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER, TIRUPATI.