It is an orchestra like no other. The croaking of the Malabar gliding frog is interspersed with the deafening crescendo of the cicadas. Accompanying them is the pitter-patter of rain as it glides down the leaves of the trees surrounding the SARA (Sustainable Alternatives for Rural Accord) Centre in Dombekoppa village in Shivamogga district of Karnataka. The monsoon has finally made an appearance in this part of the Western Ghats.
The lush foliage surrounding the centre might beguile a visitor into thinking that the landscape has remained unaltered for decades, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Fifteen years ago, Delhi-based artist Arunkumar HG, 58, decided to undertake the Herculean task of rewilding the five acres of family land on which SARA stands today.
“In 2011 or so, after my show at Nature Morte (Delhi), I was thinking whether I should continue the way I was working,” says the artist, “Doing art in the urban studios and talking about ecology and agriculture issues felt very superficial to me.” A quote by the American artist Andy Warhol proved inspirational: “I think having land and not ruining it is the most beautiful art that anybody could ever want.”
This gave him the much-needed impetus to spend more time in the Ghats. The flourishing forest the artist has created over 15 years now boasts 40 different kinds of bamboo species and a multitude of trees native to the region. It stands in stark contrast to the areca nut and acacia mono-culture plantations that have sprung up across the ecologically sensitive region, threatening bio-diversity.
Over the past decade SARA has evolved into a community-led platform that draws together visual artists, theatre activists, environmentalists, farmers and teachers. It also serves as a magnet for schoolchildren—the centre has tied up with the District Institute of Education and Training—and attracted over 3,000 students from neighbouring schools between November and February.
“My whole purpose is to raise awareness about local ecosystems,” says Arunkumar. Conscious that this information was not readily available in textbooks, the artist set about creating displays within the centre to educate local schoolchildren. In large “books”, a set of panels that can be opened out, students can glean information about the native flora and fauna, rivers and water systems, civilisations and art movements. They are also told about local soils, rocks and seeds.
SARA houses an extensive seed bank as evident in the rows of gleaming glass jars with different varieties of rice, neatly labelled in Kannada. Historically, India has had a rich diversity of rice. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the country grew more than 100,000 rice varieties prior to the Green Revolution in the 1960s. These varieties encapsulated generations of agricultural knowledge, culinary traditions, nutritional diversity and ecological adaptation. However, with the spread of high-yielding varieties and monoculture farming, this diversity has been gravely threatened.
As a counter measure, SARA has—as part of its seed bank programme—embarked this year on a participatory seed conservation project, which aims to connect the seed, soil, famers and food conservators. Consumers are invited to contribute a minimum of ₹3,000 before the sowing season to help farmers in Karnataka cultivate 20 different rice strains using organic and ecological farming methods. In exchange they will receive a bouquet of these traditional varieties to sample.
One of SARA’s programmes includes rejuvenating lakes. Part of a community development programme, Swagrama, the initiative launched in 2019 focuses on four villages in the Western Ghats and aims at achieving self-sustainable rural development with the participation of local village communities.
Water security, especially during the summer months, has been foremost in the villagers’ minds. The water retention capacity of the Ghats has diminished greatly because of the loss of biodiversity, large-scale deforestation and soil erosion. The advent of borewells also accelerated the neglect of traditional lakes. The rejuvenation of an astonishing 19 lakes so far has been a resounding success—they plan to cover 4-5 lakes per year. This has led to replenished groundwater, improved soil health and biodiversity, restored ecosystems, and sustained farming practices.
Besides these community programmes the centre has been instrumental in organising seminars and workshops for creative practitioners to generate ecological awareness. As a homage to his artist teacher at M.S. University Baroda, the late Sri Krishna Chhatpar, Arunkumar instituted the 15-day Pro-Seed artist residency in 2024. The residency aims to connect young artists with the natural world and is open to Indian artists under 30 who are interested in exploring ecological themes. For Muskan Parekh, one of six artists in this year’s cohort, “The residency offered a different way of seeing. More importantly, it encouraged me to ask deeper questions as an artist: What is my responsibility? How does my artistic practice respond to or engage with the ecological and social realities around me in a meaningful way?”
As part of the residency in June, the Pro-Seed artists were given the opportunity to participate in an intensive week-long workshop “Roots & Ruptures: Untangling Climate through Ecology, Power and Practice” spearheaded by artist and documentary filmmaker Wenceslaus Mendes. Through field immersions, such as following the trail of the Sharavathi river and engaging with local farmers, coupled with sessions involving environmental activists, botanists, ecological thinkers, artists and energy experts, the workshop offered a space for inquiry, shared learning and dialogue on ecological issues.
One of the key takeaways of the sessions for artist Priyank Gothwal was, “that the crises we face today require structural changes. Nonetheless, as many presenters demonstrated through their practices, small strategic efforts can make a significant difference and create multiple possibilities for addressing our immediate challenges.”
Certainly, Arunkumar’s efforts to usher in change in this corner of the Western Ghats has borne fruit. But it is also having a ripple effect. For Delhi-based artist Sonam Chaturvedi, the workshop has led to a fundamental shift in how she wishes to spend her life, “It has become clear that I need to move out of the city, that the future lies in working with nature and not against it.”
Meera Menezes is an independent art writer.