Chitradurga. The name that brings to mind valour, Onake Obavva, Madakari Nayaka, Seeneer Kola and a myriad other grand things. Where everything is over sized - including the blocks of rocks the fort is built with.

At some corner of my mind this is home. I have been there only a few times. Jagalur, the village in which my father was born and grew up was in Chitradurga district. (When it later became a part of Davanagere district I felt cheated). My father studied here and the stories he told us about it are indelible.

Here is a sun drenched scene from the place.

Old Houses

Old houses are beautiful.

They have a soul.

They evoke nostalgia. Nostalgia for what I do not know. 

I can't own one. Perhaps won't ever live in one.

My way of possessing one, is to study them. Sketch and paint and study them.

Here is one such.

My painting of the St Andrews church got me invited to a wedding at the very same church. While there, I was captivated by the house next to it. I stared at it. Photographed it. Stared at the pictures and finally drew it an then stared at the drawing and finally painted it.

Here it is.

namdugadkOTe

Chitradurga. The very name inspires visions of valour, size, grandeur and so on. A most fascinating place. Many kannaDigas know of this thanks to a movie - nAgarahAvu or the novel durgAstamAna by ta ra su.

Jagalur, was once in the Chitradurga district. In relatively recent reorganisations, it belongs to Davanagere district. I feel cheated. I liked the idea of belonging to Chitradurga district.

Having expressed such loyalty, I have to admit that I visited the place only after I was no longer a teenager! But the stories and anecdotes my father had recounted and has written in his memoirs - "nenapina alegaLu" are indelible. One visit and the experience is unforgettable.

I had always wanted to sketch or paint some part of the place and here it is finally.

I drew first with a Staedtler pigment liner. The first time I did such a drawing without a pencil drawing base, directly. The idea from the beginning was to do a line and wash work. Work pressure and loving the look of the line drawing I postponed the washes. I painted it with trepidation. I am glad I did though sad that the drawing is "lost" except for the scanned version you see below.

Line

and Wash

Secluded

Secluded

October 2012, I had a short holiday, starting on my birthday. I photographed this secluded house. Since then I was looking for the right way to present this scene and it is here, finally.

This brings back the sun, the humidity, the quiet (invaluable for someone from Bangalore) when I see this. The dish antenna adding a touch of modernity to the otherwise rural scene. Areca nut, coconut, colocasia, pumpking vine (indicated with only one of its flowers), green grass make this scene so calming.