Kharvis of Coastal Karnataka
	Amma's Column Fishermen throughout the world are known for adventures. Since they have to face rough weather on mid sea at times, all of a sudden, their presence of mind and boundless courage saves them from grave situations. Konkani fisher folk known as Kharvis who reside in Coastal districts of Karnataka are no exception. Since ancient times, they are exposed to unpredictable rough fury of nature. The adjoining land is also not as fertile as the plains. This rocky strip of land is inhabited by people of various fisher folk castes, who try to eke out a living are sandwiched between Sahyadri mountain range and the Arabian Sea. However the sea provided varied and plentiful fish, most part of the year. The Kharvi fisher-folk are a brave and god-fearing community who speak Konkani language. They used to be expert boat-builders as well. They built strong warships and mercantile ships which competed with Arab dhows. Boats sailing on Sharavathi river Karnataka state has three hundred and twenty three kilometers of sea-coast. Fisher-folk are divided between Kannada and Konkani speaking communities and they do not interact. In a caste-ridden country like India, each caste-people develop their own culture and leave behind a tradition of typical rituals and practices. Kharvi fishermen work on sea and in saline water. "Kshara" or salt in Sanskrit has a derivative word Khara in Indian languages. Hence the term Kharvi perhaps applied to fishermen who went fishing in salty water. Nowadays the nomenclature is wider. Since Khavis speak only Konkani language, there is every possibility that they escaped from Konkani state of Portuguese Goa, to avoid forcible conversion to Christianity in the sixteenth century. Kharvis are devout Hindus and worshipers of several deities. But interestingly they, mainly worship Durgamata or Sakti (Primeval power) who, as Goddess Almighty has precedence over all other gods! They also worship Siva husband of Shakti, their Son Ganapati and God Vishnu in his different incarnations. Boats of different dimensions, tubs, varied types of nets, oars and bamboos form main tools of Kharvis. Earlier nets to catch fish were woven from strong fibers obtained from barks of certain forest trees. These days nylon nets have come handy for them, who put in endless hours in weaving and mending. Similarly small boats sail to catch by hook, or hand-nets. Nowadays technology has made room for mechanized boats launches and percins. Rampani or Maribale the huge net required the service of a hundred people which hauled tons and tons of sardines and mackerels during the season. Trawlers, nowadays net in fish with the help of five or six people. Percin boats go far and deep in the sea and managed by twenty-twenty five members. Big boats haul in mixed fish which requires big team to sort out edible fish like Surma, mackerel, sardine, small shark, hook fish, Saundale, prawns and others. Other non-tasty fish goes as chicken-feed. Unedible varieties form good manure. "Kawan" are sheds to store dry-fish and beaches are used to sun-dry the huge quantities of fish. Some fishermen are not lucky to have lions share of Rampani netting or trawler-catch. But they are happy to catch enough fish for evening dinner, oaring their way on quite-flowing Sharavati and sell in baskets on the shore. First Created: Friday, February 11, 2011 Last Updated: 4/17/2011 10:49:16 AM

	Gynandromorphism in Indian Art
	There is news in the scientific community today that the scientists have solved the mystery of gynandromorphous (half-male and half-female) chickens. To mark the occasion, we pulled out images of "Ardhanarishwar", an icon in Indian Culture representing the half-male, half-female form of Lord Shiva. © K.L.Kamat Ardha-Narishwara Half Man, Half Woman Detail from Madhubani folk painting © K.L.Kamat Ardha-Narishwara An excellent sculpture of "Uma-Maheswara" located at Banashankari (Bijapur district) wherein the masculine and feminine characters are beautifully carved in a single icon. © K.L.Kamat "Ardhanarishwara" from a Maithili Painting © www.kamat.com A Spectacular Mixed Metal Sculpture of Ardhanarishwara Androgynous form of Lord Shiva depicted in Indian art First Created: Thursday, March 11, 2010 Last Updated: 3/11/2010 3:27:07 PM

	Krishna as Thief of Women's Clothes
	Gopika Vastraharan in Indian Art The Bhagavata Purana has an episode of how mischievous Krishna hides away all the clothes of girls bathing in the river. The episode provides a lot of fodder for poets, artists and devotees and is an integral part of the Hindu experience. Here is a collection of pictures culled from our collection that depict the episode of the girls begging Krishna to return their clothes. © K.L.Kamat Krishna stealing the clothes of his female companions The Gopika-Vastraharana episode © K.L.Kamat Gopika Vastrapaharana (The Stealing of Clothes) Painting shows Krishna climbing a tree with the clothes of bathing girls © K.L.Kamat Naked Women asking Krishna for their Clothes Krishna from Gunavante chariot © K.L.Kamat Ladies Pleading for Clothes Detail from a South Indian painting, Mysore © K.L.Kamat Gopika Vastrapaharan Detail from a Mysore Traditional Painting, Mysore © K.L.Kamat Gopika Vastraharana Detail from a painting by Shubharaya © K.L.Kamat Gopika-Vastraharan Detail from a miniature painting, Partakali Math, Goa © K.L.Kamat Krishna Climbs a Tree after Stealing Women's Clothes Gopika Vastraharan as depicted in a Gokarn temple sculpture © K.L.Kamat The Clothes Thief Girls bathing in the river begging Krishna to return their clothes. First Created: Friday, June 5, 2009 Last Updated: 6/28/2009 8:49:23 PM

	Garuda in Indian Art
	Garuda is the name of a mighty bird depicted in Indian folklore as the vehicle of Lord Vishnu. Garuda is a species of Indian Eagle. The flying abilities of Garuda have prompted an airline to be named after the bird (Garuda Indonesia Airlines). Indian artists over the centuries have imagined great many forms of Garuda and they are available today in paintings, sculptures, and temple artifacts. The following is a collection of pictures depicting Garuda in Indian Art. © K.L.Kamat The Garuda, King of Birds © K.L.Kamat Vishnu flies with his two wives on "Garuda." © K.L.Kamat The Garuda, King of Birds Village of Gunavante, 1983 © K.L.Kamat Garuda Carrying Gayatri Ganjifa playing card painting © K.L.Kamat Garuda Carrying Lord Vishnu and Laxmi Wooden sculpture from Tamilnadu © K.L.Kamat Lord Krishna Rides the Bird Garuda Garuda is usually shown as Vishnu's carrier; here the artist seems to indicate that Vishnu and Krishna are one the same. © K.L.Kamat Garuda Carrying Lord Vishnu Kavi art (red graffitto art) from a temple in the village of Hosad © K.L.Kamat Heroes who die heroic death are sometimes immortalized as Garuda Town of Siddapur, 1983 © K.L.Kamat Painted Icon of Garuda The village of Maluru, Channapattana © K.L.Kamat Garuda Fights a Snake Detail from a Kavi art mural © Vikas Kamat Vishnu Riding Garuda Detail from a pillar in Melukote, Karnataka © K.L.Kamat Garuda the Mythical Bird Detail from a South Indian Painting © K.L.Kamat Garuda Carrying Lord Vishnu Detail from Mysore Traditional Painting © K.L.Kamat Snakes and Garuda Detail from a temple mural © Vikas Kamat Garuda, the King of Birds Detail from a Garuda Pillar, Goa © Vikas Kamat Mythological Painting From Left to Right: Garuda, Rama or Vishnu, Sita or Lakshmi and Hanuman © K.L.Kamat Garuda, Vishnu and Anjaneya Fabric Art, Mysore © Vikas Kamat Icon of Garuda Srirangapattana Temple Artifact, Karnataka First Created: Friday, May 30, 2008 Last Updated: 6/1/2008 8:51:19 AM

	Pictures of Old Mysore Dasara
	The walls of Mysore Royal Palace, contain beautiful paintings of the festivities as celebrated during the rule of Mysore Maharajas. One can fathom the old glory of Mysore Dasara, due to the life-like depcitions. © K. L. Kamat Chariot Procession © K. L. Kamat Citizens of Mysore Gathered to Witness Dasara Procession © K. L. Kamat The Palanquin procession © K. L. Kamat Elephant Pulled Car Important Office-bearers of the Court following the Procession © K. L. Kamat Eminent Citizens Witnessing Dasara Many leaders can indeed be identified from these paintings © K. L. Kamat Horse Mounted Officials The Mysore Dasara was culmination of a months of work by the beaurocrats to put a a fantastic celebration. A View of Dasara Procession Notice the parading soldiers and the candy vendor chasing flies with a stick. © K. L. Kamat The Parade of Jawans © K. L. Kamat Maharaja on the Royal Elephant For the wards of the kingdom, an view of the ruler was the climax of their festivities. See Also: • The Elephants of Mysore Dasara First Created: Thursday, September 28, 2006 Last Updated: 9/28/2006 4:13:01 PM Tags: mysore_dasara

	India's Lost Professions -I
	Kalaigars or vessel-shiners were once a common sight on the streets of India. They made a living by establishing kilns by roadsides and applying a fresh shiny coat of metal over old and stained vessels. After the arrival of stainless steel, and aluminum, the cooking vessels made out of lead and tin fell out of favor, due to their weight, and high maintenance. The Kalaigar community, who used to inherit their profession, lost their means of livelihood and had to take to other menial jobs. Here are two photographs to remember a lost profession of India. © K. L. Kamat Corel Professional Photo See Also: • Real Jobs - Photographic Exhibition of Hard Labor First Created: Friday, September 15, 2006 Last Updated: 6/6/2009 7:37:27 PM

	The Color Yellow
	Following is a collection of pictures depicting the role and use of color yellow in Indian culture. Yellow Metal Golden Oil Lamps from India Crispy and Tasty Yellow Deep fried food with chickpea base is very popular in India. Yellow Dessert Picture of Sand Dunes in Rajasthan The Yellow Fruit The Other Yellow Fruit Yellowed Treasures of India Illustrated Palm Leaf Text, Saraswati Museum, Tanjore Yellow for Richness Painting of a Indian prince in shiny golden clothing See Also: • The Color Red • The Color Green First Created: Sunday, February 19, 2006 Last Updated: 2/19/2006 5:56:53 PM

	Stories the Torn Shirts Tell
	Stories the Torn Shirts Tell Today let us look at pictures featuring torn shirts and the stories they tell. © K. L. Kamat How many torn shirts does it take to make one torn shirt? This amazing photograph of a mystic shows a shirt that is in fact stitched from numerous torn shirts. Known as Gudadasais, the mystics live a life of chosen poverty. K.L.Kamat Photograph of a boy belonging to the Gond tribe. The shirt is torn in either directions. But don't you miss the sparkle on his face. © K. L. Kamat Cloth maker affords no shirt! Torn shirt of a weaver at Sriniketan. A very ironical photograph. Don't you think? © K. L. Kamat African Indian Boy in Torn Shirt © K. L. Kamat Torn Shirt of a Siddi Boy And the photographer Kamat himself in a torn under-shirt. Lived in Underwear, Died in Underwear Throughout his life, Kamat lived a life of extreme simplicity. Kamat loved his old underwear; the older the better. He wore the long, custom stitched Indian boxers made from Binny's blue casement cotton, and thick cotton banians. They were modest, and that's what he wore at home all the time, and refused to wear presentable clothing even when he had visitors; that's perhaps his most enduring image. One of his sisters thought it was befitting that Kamat even died in them. The photograph shows Kamat in a torn undershirt. See Also: • Indian Attire First Created: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 Last Updated: 8/20/2008 9:23:54 AM

	Mother's Day
	© K. L. Kamat Happy Mother's Day! Photograph taken in 1987 of a mother belonging to Halakki tribal community. See Also: • Mother and Child: Pictorial Exhibition • Halakki Farmers of Indian West Coast First Created: Wednesday, May 5, 2004 Last Updated: 5/5/2004 4:28:48 PM

	The Mirror Project
	Mirrors inspire us in ways few others do. Here's an exhibition of pictures from our archive depicting use of mirrors. © K. L. Kamat Ancient Mirrors from India © K. L. Kamat Man using a broken mirror to shave © K. L. Kamat A damsel admires herself in a mirror © K. L. Kamat A Groom Getting Ready for his Wedding © K. L. Kamat Sharing of the Mirror Three sisters getting ready simultaneouly by sharing a mirror Internet Link: • The Mirror Project - adventures in reflective surfaces. First Created: Tuesday, August 26, 2003 Last Updated: 8/26/2003