Kariyappa

This Foundation Project, implemented by IFA, will engage sixth grade students of the Government Higher Primary School in Srishylanagar, Koppal district, with the region’s prominent Kinnala art form and the Chitragara community. The project aims to introduce students to the basic techniques of Kinnala doll-making while enabling them to understand the history, legacy, cultural significance, and contemporary realities of the Chitragara community. These learnings will be connected to their curriculum in science, social science, and languages. Kariyappa is Coordinator for this project.  

Kariyappa is a theatre practitioner and director with over a decade of experience in contemporary theatre and views theatre as a medium for education, personality development, creativity, and social awareness. He has worked extensively with children and young adults through theatre workshops and camps, using Kinnala art to develop imagination, expression, confidence, and leadership skills. He has also designed creative learning activities that connect theatre with education and the school curriculum. In addition, Kariyappa is trained in Yakshagana, Kamsale, and Doddata and conducts regular classes in these traditional art forms. He is actively involved in social and community-based cultural activities in his village. Given his experience, he is best placed to be the Project Coordinator of this Foundation Project of IFA. 

Karnataka is home to two major doll-making traditional cities, Channapatna in Ramanagara district and Kinnala in Koppal district, both of which carry a rich history and unique artistic tradition. The roots of Kinnala art can be traced to the period of the Vijayanagara Empire, particularly between the 14th and 16th centuries, when the art flourished under royal patronage, especially during the reign of Sri Krishnadevaraya. Kinnala art was not limited to the making of toys but became an integral part of temple rituals, cultural festivals, and religious ceremonies. Even after the decline of the Vijayanagara Empire, the Chitragara artisans of Kinnala continued to preserve and practise the tradition, passing their knowledge and skills from one generation to the next and, for many families, making this practice a deeply valued and sacred way of life. 

The making of Kinnala dolls is itself a distinctive creative process that goes beyond carving wood. It involves shaping, wrapping, colouring, and bringing carved figures to life through a combination of craftsmanship and imagination. Traditionally, light and durable local woods, including Tagasi (Cassia tora) and other locally available varieties, are used to create figures of deities, animals, birds, Gauri-Ganesha, Dasara dolls, and other traditional forms. Natural colours in shades of yellow, green, red, and black are applied to the figures, which are then finished with a traditional lacquer coating that gives them their characteristic shine.

The artistic practice of the Chitragara community is closely connected to its oral traditions and cultural memory. Artisans transform folk narratives, religious stories, and local traditions into this visual form. While making the dolls, artisans traditionally sing songs associated with local deities, nature, and the resources around them. These songs help them sustain the rhythm of their work, overcome fatigue and add a spiritual and cultural dimension to the creative process. Women artisans play an important role in the making of Kinnala dolls, particularly in a stage known locally as Obbadhi Haakuvudu, which involves wrapping and strengthening the doll. This project will introduce students to these different dimensions of the art form while also encouraging them to understand the current developments and challenges faced by the artisan community. 

During the first phase of the project, students will explore the Vijayanagara Empire, as introduced in their social science curriculum, through Kinnala Dasara dolls and other traditional figures associated with the period and its cultural practices. They will create short dialogues and dramatic scenes based on the characters represented by the dolls and participate in reading sessions centred on folk texts, myths, legends, and stories associated with Kinnala art.

Students will also make multiple visits to Kinnala village, located approximately twenty minutes from their school, where they will interact with members of the Chitragara community through guided conversations and interview sessions. They will be encouraged to ask questions and reflect on themes such as the preservation of cultural traditions, financial stability and economic insecurity, migration, professional satisfaction, the use of modern technology, changing markets, and the ways in which artisans continue to learn and sustain their practice. Through these interactions, students will gain an understanding of Kinnala art not only as a traditional craft but also as a livelihood and cultural practice facing contemporary challenges. They will observe the processes of wood carving, preparation and application of natural colours, and other stages of doll-making. They will then participate in hands-on activities, including making small dolls using clay and colouring them with natural colours. Building on this experience, students will create Kinnala-style masks and stage props and explore mythological and traditional figures such as Kamadhenu, Dwarapalakas, Uyyale Gauri, Chaitra Masa Gauri, Ambika, and Garuda, which are exclusive forms associated only with the Kinnala tradition.  

In the second phase, the project will connect Kinnala art with the students’ science curriculum by introducing them to the different varieties of wood traditionally used in doll-making. Artisans will conduct demonstrations at the school, allowing students to directly observe and understand the properties and uses of different types of wood. Students will also learn about the preparation of plant-based natural colours, including yellow, green, and red, thereby connecting traditional artistic practices with their understanding of plants, natural resources, materials, and processes. Alongside these activities, students will develop a Kinnala-style theatre production based on selected lessons and texts from their Kannada textbook. 

The project will culminate in a series of student-led activities and performances, followed by a final exhibition showcasing the Kinnala dolls, masks, stage props, natural colours, and other artworks created during the project. The final performance will bring together the students’ learning through a theatre piece that explores the history of the Vijayanagara Empire from the perspective of Kinnala artisans, while also portraying the process of doll-making, the cultural knowledge embedded within the tradition, and the contemporary realities of the Chitragara community. Teachers will be involved throughout the project. Through this integrated approach, the project seeks to enable students to experience Kinnala art not simply as a craft to be learnt, but as a living cultural tradition that connects history, community, environment, language, science, creativity, and contemporary social realities. 

The outcome of the project will be an exhibition, and a series of performances in the presence of school staff and community members. The Project Coordinator’s deliverables to IFA with the final report will include photographs and video documentation of the entire project. 

This project suitably addresses the framework of IFA’s Arts Education programme in the manner in which it attempts to connect students and schools to the cultural knowledge of the regions they inhabit and communities they live in. 

IFA will ensure that the implementation of this project happens in a timely manner and funds expended are accounted for. IFA will also review the progress of the project at midterm and document it through an Implementation Memorandum. After the project is finished and all deliverables are submitted, IFA will put together a Final Evaluation to share with Trustees.