Newars from Kathmandu are very rich and developed in art and culture. Art, Culture and Religion are interrelated with each other. Without Art, Religion and Culture are incomplete. Chitrakar ( in newari ‘puna’) from Kathmandu Valley is associated in each and every ritual religious art work. Chitrakars have been doing traditional religious arts which are mainly divided into four sectors.
I. Art related with karmakanda.
II. Art related with different festivals and puja.
III. Art related with curing diseases.
IV. Art related with scroll paintings and tantric art.
Chitrakars have been doing ritual art since the Lichhivi period. Malla King Jayasithiti Malla divided the caste into different communities, following the Lichhivi tradition in which drawing and painting communities are called CHITRAKAR.
On the basis of palm leaf manuscript (‘taad patra’), chitrakars are called ‘caitrakar’ or ‘puna’ of which chitrakar family of Kohity Tole from Kathmandu, Nepal remains very important with enough evidence.
Kohity Tole, one of the oldest historical places of Kathmandu city has remained the center of artists since Lichhivi period. Lichhivi King Guna Kam Dev (‘Thakuri’) introduced the famous festival in kathmandu ‘Pachali Vairab Jatra’. It is believed the deity Vairab stays in the chitrakar’s house at Kohity Tole ‘Chapara Nani’ for 4 days, which indicates that the chitrakars from Kohity Tole has been very rich in culture since that era. The palm leaf manuscript (‘taad patra’) dated Nepal samvat 553, ie 1432AD, reveals Kohity Tole chitrakars as very historic
Kohity Tole Chitrakar’s have remained close with the Malla Kings throughout the Malla Period as an artist. Main occupation of chitrakar is to make ritual art paintings. For example, wall painting(fresco, nural) inside Shantipur cave at Swayambhu, Kathmandu, Nepal. The fresco art inside the Shantipur cave was Painted by Harsa Man Chitrakar of Kohity Tole, Mana Chhen on Nepal Samvat 1024, ie 1904 AD, the written evidence is on the bottom of the wall painting which is related with Mahayan Buddhist Religion and is based on the Swayambhu Puran. In 1927 AD (1983BS) Laxmi Bahadur Chitrakar, grandson of Harsa Man Chitrakar renovated some parts of the painting. The master copy is still being preserved by the family of ‘Mana Chhen’ chitrakars.
Indra Bahadur Chitrakar, son of Laxmi Bahadur Chitrakar also worked as an artist at National Museum, Chauni, Kathmandu, Nepal and did renovation work at Basantapur’s Living Goddess House (‘kumari Ghar’) in 1949 AD (2005 BS) where he took 3 months to renovate the fresco art.
Time has changed but the art work from Kohity Tole’s chitrakar is still going on with the same enthusiasm and this abc fine art gallery is established on the name of Amir Bahadur Chitrakar (abc), grandson of Laxmi Bahadur Chitrakar and great great grandson of Harsa Man Chitrakar. Amir Bahadur Chitrakar has completed six years of fine art course ‘kala prabin’ from Juddha Kala Pathsala now Lalit Kala Campus, Kathmandu, Nepal. He also studied fine art under the guidance of Tej Bahadur Chitrakar for few years. He did solo exhibition entitled ‘Temples of Nepal’ in 1982 AD (2038 BS) and many group Exhibition and workshop. He worked in Janak Education Material Centre at Sano Thimi, Bhaktapur, Nepal from 1968 AD till 1972 AD as an Illustrator (Children books from class 1 to 10) and from 1972 AD till 2003 AD he worked in Agriculture Inputs Corporation, Teku, Kathmandu, Nepal as an artist. With all these artistic background he has been equally involved in both ritual paintings as well as modern paintings.
abcfineartgallery is established to let the world know that the artist from Kohity Tole, Kathmandu, Nepal have historic back ground and the art displayed in this website are very original and very traditional.
The art work displayed for sale, here is one step towards to keep the traditional alive.
‘Brocade’, it is a cloth frame for the painting to keep the paintings durable. If you want your selective Newari or Tibetan paintings with brocade frame, please contact for necessary decisions.
All the paintings are handmade on canvas (Cotton cloth). We do not provide any print art or posters. We provide 100% original products. The paintings will be exactly same as you have ordered. The order paintings will be delivered according to the travel time it takes and will be informed accordingly with shipping cost (if abroad).
