Each country in the world is different in its own way for reason of geography; for reasons of the language, religion and culture of that country. And, of course, for the reason of the racial traits of the people (peoples) living in that country. Much of the problems among nations and among the people living within a nation can be traced to these differences though some utopian idealists may not agree. India is no different. In fact, India is too different to the point of indulging in self - pity for its problems. Look at the way it is wailing about Pakistan not co-operating in the matter of investigating the Mumbai terrorist attack to bring the culprits to justice.
India is also a country of corrupt politicians, bureaucrats and people in general who are more self - centered and less committed to our country's cause and social good. Because of the evil of corruption, these politicians and bureaucrats are ready even to sacrifice a good culturally important project.
Here is one example where a culture - related project on an ancient art of India was called off simply for the reason the promoter - artist of the museum refused to share the Government's annual grant with the Director of the Department of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Karnataka. As a result, the museum, which was started in city in 1996, was closed down on 15. 12. 2000. The earlier Directors were helpful and gave every encouragement to this effort of an individual in setting up a Ganjifa Art Museum.
Ganjifa, as we know, was a forgotten art of painted miniature playing cards whose origin could be traced to the epic periods of Ramayana and Mahabharatha. It survived during the days of the Hindu emperors and during the Moghul period as well. In fact this period gave birth to what is known as Moghul Ganjifa with 96 cards. With the advent of British rule this art suffered an eclipse but the Mysore Maharajas of Wadiyar dynasty revived this art by patronising a number of artists. Thereafter, Ganjifa as an art form simply disappeared till it was revived by an unknown youngster Raghupathi Bhatta working on this art form while studying in the Chitrakala Parishat, Bangalore.
Later, when he shifted to Srirangapatna he began working on Ganjifa miniature painting. Simultaneously, he was also working on paintings of Kannada calligraphy. These paintings attracted the attention of the connoisseurs of art among the Western tourists. The art was revived and practised by Raghupathi Bhatta so vigorously that the artist himself came to be identified with this unique art Ganjifa and he came to be called as Ganjifa Raghupathi Bhatta.
To revive this art which had become almost extinct, Bhatta had toured all over India collecting specimens of Ganjifa miniature and interviewing a number of people collecting information connected with this ancient art. He was honoured for this labour of love by the President of India with a National Award for Ganjifa miniature in the year 1992. A year early he had set up a museum called "Ganjifa Museum" in Srirangapatna in a small place where Krishnaraja Wadiyar III was born, given free of rent by the Town Municipality, to keep the almost extinct Ganjifa art alive and introduce it to the people.
Raghupathi Bhatta got total support in his efforts when Dr. D. V. Devaraj was the Director of the Department of Archaeology and Museums and Chiranjeevi Singh, IAS, was in - charge of the Department as Secretary. Devaraj was an honest and committed officer. It was when Devaraj was the Director; the museum was shifted from Srirangapatna to the Wellington House belonging to the Department where a portion of the ground floor, comprising six rooms, was given for the Ganjifa museum. Bhatta says it was at the instance of Devaraj the museum was shifted to Mysore and to this heritage building which was just repaired. The letter written by the Director to Raghupathi Bhatta in this regard should be a model one for all Government officers in the matter of corresponding with the public; especially artists, intellectuals, Professors, professionals and scientists. The last sentence of the letter written on 19.8.1996 is quite revealing and eloquent. It says: “Should you need our co - operation or help in this regard, I request you to please contact immediately the concerned employees of our Department”.
Accordingly, the museum was shifted and Bhatta was given financial grant to develop the museum. In 1993 - 94, he was given Rs. 25,000 and for 1994 - 95, he was given Rs. 50,000. He also got Rs. 50,000 for 1995 - 96. After Devaraj vacated the office in 1997, Raghupathi Bhatta found it difficult to get the grant because of the evil of kickback from the successive Directors. When the venal relationship was impossible with Bhatta, the expected happened. A letter dated 14. 12. 2000 from the Director of the Department of Archeology and Museums, asked Raghupathi Bhatta to vacate the Wellington premises stating that the premises was required to display the artifacts of the Department only in the ground floor where Ganjifa museum was located. Since the stench of corruption was already suffocating, the request was instantly complied with, thus closing down India’s only Ganjifa museum along with the only Kannada calligraphy paintings which were in the museum.
The credit for the closure of this Ganjifa museum should, however, go to Dr. M.V. Krishnappa, the then Director of the Department of Archeology and Museums, who deftly handled the "operation close - down" of the Ganjifa museum for "reasons", of course.
Since then Bhatta has been trying, without success, a place for housing his artworks. Nobody seems to bother, not even the government whom he had approached. The Kannada and Culture Department should look into this matter and provide a space, without bribe, for Bhatta to revive this museum in the interest of preserving Karnataka’s art heritage of this unique kind and also Kannada calligraphy.
It may be just and proper to mention here the contribution of Chiranjeevi Singh, IAS, not only in encouraging such useful activities in the field of art, literature, music and other culture-related subjects, but also for helping the artists in different streams of creativity. I personally know cases where Chiranjeevi Singh has helped many burgeoning painters and artists who were in dire financial circumstances. Alas, till such time we get officers of the caliber of Chiranjeevi Singh and Dr. D.V. Devaraj, who go beyond their official calling to build our nation in different spheres of human activities, India will not make qualitative progress and to the extent there is potential for such progress. Amen.
