Unlike the manuscript painting tradition in medieval India, the Indian wall painting tradition, except for the celebrated murals of Ajanta and a few more chosen sites, has not been extensively studied by the art historians. India has an uninterrupted tradition of mural painting that goes back to Ajanta and continues till the colonial period. The regional schools of mural tradition are as enthusing as the schools of manuscript painting. Unfortunately, many of these schools have yet to catch the attention of scholars. Prof Ragavendra Rao Kulkarni's Çhitramantapa' fills up the locunac to an extent. Apparently, it is a monograph on a nondescript tiny mural gallery perhaps unfamiliar even to the regular visitors, on the terrace of Sri Prasanna Venkataramanaswamy temple, a modest shrine not for away from the Mysore palace and the better-known Sri Shveta Varaha and Sri Prasanna Krishna temples. It was built in the second quarter of 19th century by a Madhwa saint, Sri Subbarayadasa who enjoyed the privillaged patronage of the Wadayor court. This small gallery is studded with paintings rendering Subbarayadasa's Kshetra darshana his pilgrimage to the holyt places all over India, Scenes from Srimadbhagwat, Krishna Lila, Dashavatara and also portraits of holy men as well as the Wadeyor rulers. Kulkarni has examined them from various kperskpectives and has presented this comprehensive compendium to the art lovers. Contents: Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. Art activities and patronage: Post-Vijayanagara period. 3. Chitramantapa Sri Prasanna Venkataramana Temple. 4. Kshetra Darshana paintings -1. 5. Central panel: Sri Vedavyasa wooden panel. 6. Kshetra Darshana paintings - 2. 7. Wodeyar portrait panel -3. 8. Tirumala Tirupati. 9. Ceiling Panels. 10. Concluding notes. Appendices. References. Index.