Some artists paint what is seen. Others preserve what is known.

Parani Chittar belonged to a rare space where art and knowledge came together. Born in 1950, he developed not only as a painter within the Popular Art tradition, but also as a chronicler of temples and their histories.

His work extended beyond the creation of devotional images. While he painted oil portraits of temple deities with care and precision, he also sought to understand and document the context in which these deities were worshipped. For him, the image was only one part of a larger narrative.

He wrote about temple histories, their evolution over time, the nature of worship, the significance of rituals, and the individuals and communities who built and sustained these spaces. In doing so, he connected the visual form with its cultural and historical meaning.

This dual approach gave his work a distinct depth. The paintings he created were not isolated representations, they were rooted in a deeper understanding of place, tradition, and continuity.

Alongside his scholarly engagement, Parani Chittar remained an active contributor to the calendar art industry. His works were reproduced and circulated widely, bringing temple imagery into homes and everyday spaces. Through this medium, his paintings reached audiences beyond the temple itself, while still carrying a sense of context and meaning.

His practice reflects a balance, between image and interpretation, between devotion and documentation.

At Chithiraalayam, his work is recognised not only for its visual quality, but for the perspective it brings. It reminds us that devotional art is not only to be seen, it is also to be understood.