The Coonoor bus stand will feature one of the rarest forms of indigenous art from the Nilgiris, with members of the Alu Kuruma tribal community being invited to help beautify the bus stand. Members of the community have been invited to paint portions of the bus stand with images from their catalog of iconic rock art.
The Alu Kurumbas are renowned for their sophisticated artwork, based on the cave paintings found near their hamlets. Only a handful of the members of the community continue to paint the intricate designs that highlight their traditional livelihoods and customs. Over the last few years, the growing popularity of the artwork has allowed artists to earn a livelihood by putting some of the images to canvas and also as decorative murals on walls of residences in the Nilgiris.
In order to popularise the art-form among local residents and visitors to the district, the municipality has commissioned the artists from the community to paint the pillars of the Coonoor bus stand.
J.R.Mani, a community leader from Sengalputhur near Coonoor, said that there were only eight members of the community who had the expertise to replicate traditional rock art on canvas and on other mediums. “Almost all of them have been trained by two artists from the community,” said Mr. Mani, adding that the artists use forest produce gathered from indigenous trees as well as from rocks found near their habitations to produce the dyes used in the artwork.
“Almost all the images which are painted depict some form of traditional life associated with the community, be it harvesting honey or an image depicting our cultural and religious practices,” said Mr. Mani.
Coonoor Municipality Commissioner, K. Balu, who has overseen the painting of murals as well as the opening of a heritage gallery in Coonoor showcasing the evolution of the town over the last two centuries, said that it was important that the contributions of the indigenous communities too are acknowledged. “We hope that by having this artwork displayed in such a busy part of town, it will help popularise the work of indigenous artists and artisans, and also help in its survival,” said Mr. Balu.
One of the artists, Adhi Balan, is a Class 11 student who is one of the most recently trained artists from the community. “People who were passing through were so interested in the artwork that they commissioned a few projects right away,” added Mr. Balu.
The Alu Kurumbas are also extremely pleased to have a chance at showcasing their rich history and connection with the Nilgiris. “When our culture, which dates back thousands of years is showcased to the public, it is of course a source of immense pride to the community, who have a deep connection to the district,” said Mr. Mani.