Journalism of Courage
Chitrakar families in the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu were renowned traditional painters and sculptors who depicted gods and goddesses on temples, masks of Hindu deities and posters for various religious celebrations. (AP)
The art and tradition, however, is dying because of mass machine printed posters and card-size pictures of gods that are cheaper and more popular. (AP)
For Chitrakar couple Tej Kumari and Purna, who have been following the tradition at their home in Bhaktapur, a suburb of Kathmandu, it is a struggle to keep the dying art alive against the modern mass produced prints. (AP)
Tej Kumari and Purna learned how to paint in the Chitrakar style from their fathers and grandfathers, knowledge passed down over generations. However, they are not sure if the next generation will continue the tradition.(AP)
(AP)
While painting snake gods for the Hindu festival of Naag Pancahami, Tej Kumari recalls days when she would make thousands of posters for people to paste on their doors in August. This year she made only about 50. (AP)
Machine printed ones have gained popularity, leading to a drastic reduction in the number of customers. Many of the older generation who appreciated the art form have died. (AP)
