Originating in the 8th century AD, its name combines Sanskrit words patta (canvas) and chitra (painting). Renowned for intricate designs, bold outlines, and the use of natural colors, Pattachitra paintings primarily depict Hindu deities, mythological stories, and folklore. In this blog, we will take a look at the history of Pattachitra, techniques, styles of Pattachitra and will answer some of the commonly asked questions related to this unique folk art from Eastern India.
Traditional art is an aspect of people's culture, with skills and knowledge passed down through generations. It largely spread through word of mouth or by following in the footsteps of a cultural group. Patta painting is regarded, as an important form of Odia painting, which developed in the 12th century at the Jagannath temple in Puri. Jagannath temple has been a centre of Odisha art and culture.
Puri and Raghurajpur are considered a realm of myths and gods, as well as folklore of Pattachitra. This style evolved under the patronage of the Ganga kings and the Bhoi Dynasty's king. The painting's objective was to popularize the Jagannath worship among the millions of pilgrims that visited Puri.
The origin of the Patachitra paintings can be traced back to the 8th century AD and, is considered as one of the earliest forms of indigenous paintings. The term Pattachitra is derived from the Sanskrit words patta, which means canvas, and Chitra, which means painting. Thus, Pattachitra creates a scroll painting on canvas that is manifested, by rich colourful application, innovative motif and designs, and depiction of a simple theme, generally mythological in depiction.
The majority of these paintings portray Hindu deity legends. Pattachitra is reminiscent of the old murals of Odisha, particularly the sacred centres of Puri, Konark, and Bhubaneshwar going back to the 5th century BC. The best work can be seen in and around Puri, particularly in the village of Raghurajpur and Dandasahi.
The Divine Lord Venkateshwara from the Temple Town Puri
According to custom, the successor of Vishwavsu Savar, the first tribal chief of mythology who began the worship of the Lord, make hidden worship of the Lord; make secret worship of the deities in the chamber by offering those fruits and coconut. Meanwhile, the "trinity" of Nilamadhava (Jagannath), Ananta (Balaram), and Bhubhaneswari (Subhadra) are worshipped in three separate Patachitra created by the temples' folk artists.
The tale of these three siblings was initially presented on Pattachitra. These deities are ironically in black, white and yellow, respectively. The two large eyes represent the sun and moon. They also shared Navagraha stories and experiences from their lives.
Pata paintings come in a wide range of styles, including paintings of Jagannath, the holy trinity, and paintings of their chariots. Pattachitra is based on the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagvat Gita, and various Puranas and kavyas among others. Pattachitras of folklore and animal and bird stories, as well as erotic Pattachitras.
Scenes from the Ramayana
Samudra Manthan (Churning of the ocean)
Odisha's chitrakar, or artists, are Sudras by caste. It should also be mentioned, that almost all of the chitrakara family members assist the artist in producing portraits of mythological deities. Women and children are typically involved in the preparation of colour paste. The artist creates the sketches and then adds the finishing touches to the piece.
To begin, the folk-painter selects two pieces of cloth and sticks them together with a paste made from tamarind seeds. Tamarind seeds are soaked in water for two to three days. When the seed swells and softens, they use a pestle to pound it into a fine, thick paste. A little water is added into the clay pot along with the material, which is then cooked to a fine paste. This gum, is used to bind these two textiles together to form a pati.
Folk art colours are manufactured from natural elements such as china clay, soft clay or chalk, conch shell, red stone, yellow-brown ochre, and so on.
☛ White Colors : The artist uses seashells for white, which are abundant on the beaches of Odisha. Folk women make collyrium by holding an oiled leaf over the smoke of a burning flame.
☛ Black Colors : Charcoal is used to create the black colour.
☛ Green Colors : The green colour is created by combining the juice of the green leaf with the gum in a proportionate amount.
☛ Red & Yellow Colors : The red and yellow colours are made from red and ochre by powdering the stone with the paste-stone respectively.
☛ Blue Colors : The blue colour is made from a bluestone called rajabarta.
☛ Hasya, which means "laughing," is depicted in white.
☛ Raudra, or rage, is depicted in red
☛ Adhbhuta, or astonishment, is depicted in yellow.
In painting the patas, the traditional artist used five primary colours. These five natural colours are likened and identified with the heavenly colours of Jagannatha, Balabhadra, Subhadra, Sihasana, and Neela chakra by Odisha's folk painters and saints. These are known as Pancha tattva, which refers to the five constituents.
Jagannath-Subhada-Baalabhadra In Padma Shringar
A floral border with intricate designs and leaves is required in Pattachitra paintings, as the Chitra highlights the folktale and story. The lines are bold, crisp, and sharp. There are no landscapes, viewpoints, or distant vistas in general. All of the incidents are shown near one another. The Pattachitra style combines folk and classical influences.
Over time, Pattachitra art has seen a significant transformation, and chitrakars started painting on palm leaves and tussar silk. In Odiya, the art of painting on palm leaves is known as Tala Pattachitra. Palm leaves are picked from palm trees and dried. They are then sewed together to create a larger canvas. The images are traced on this, using black or white ink to fill grooves etched on rows of equal-sized palm leaf panels.
These panels can also be folded like a fan and stored in a compact pile for better conservation. Palm-leaf illustrations are frequently more extravagant, and this is achieved, by superimposing layers that are bonded together for the majority of the surface while leaving some sections open in the shape of small windows that expose a second image beneath the first one.
Shashabhujadhari Ganesha (composite figure), Watercolour painting on palm leaves
Pattachitra paintings are synonymous with Odisha, but there are several Pattachitra or scroll paintings that are unique in their technique and style.
☛ Odisha Pattachitra Paintings : These are the most famous among Pattachitras, rooted in the temple traditions of Jagannatha Puri. Artists living in Raghurajapur village are the treasurers of this cultural gem. Using locally available cotton and silk cloth, natural colors, and raw materials such as tamarind seed paste and chalk paste to prepare the canvas, the artist creates images of Jagannatha Bhagwan with Balabhadra and Subhadra, Hindu gods and goddesses, and folk narratives of Odisha.
☛ Tala Patra Pattachitra : These paintings are done on the Tala or palm tree leaf, and are one of the most ancient art forms in India. Dried palm leaves are sewn together and are worked upon with needles to create minute holes on the surface, which are then painted with natural dyes. The palm leaves are arranged in a portable manner, which is carried by storytellers and ascetics who take the stories of gods and goddesses and powerful Tantric images with them. Due to the less durable palm leaves used as the canvas and the labor-intensive process, Tala Patra paintings need intensive preservation and are cherished by connoisseurs who can afford to dedicatedly care for and maintain these gems from antiquity.
☛ Bengal Pattachitra : Bengal Pattachitra is a distinct style of scroll painting, popular in the rural landscape of West Bengal. Two sub-types of Bengal Pattachitra are the Chalachitra (moving painting) and Durga Pata. Chalachitra is used by “patua”, local narrator-artists who carry these scrolls and act as the mediator between the picture and the audience. Durga Pata are scroll paintings dedicated to the goddess Durga, during Durga Puja days. Stories of goddess Durga from Puranas and folk traditions are painted on these scrolls which are used to decorate the Puja-pandals.
Pattachitra paintings are not just limited to cloth; palm leaves or silk. Currently, it is practised on sarees, purses, wall hangings, and even showpieces. These scroll paintings are not restricted to South India but have branched out to the western parts of India and western countries. Under the leadership of the American Friends Service Committee, one exhibition was staged at Puri Town Hall in 1953, and two shows were held in Delhi and Calcutta in 1954. Sri Nabakrishna Choudhary, then Chief Minister of Orissa, worked hard to revive Odisha's indigenous art form.
While the essence and style of Pattachitra remains rooted in its early days, modern times have brought changes in its canvas and now one can find a Pattachitra on a cloth scroll as well as a cup or keychain! Digital platforms and government initiatives have worked to popularize the art form to a certain extent, however, the traditional artists have to work day and night to make a decent living and many young artists are shifting to other occupations.
A few Pattachitra artists such as Rabi Behra are able to create a space for themselves and the art, and their artworks have received global recognition, inspiring the handful of Pattachitra artists to continue contributing to their generational work.
The motifs of Pattachitra paintings due to their cultural richness have also inspired modern artists, who have included traditional patterns and techniques in creating contemporary, abstract art, giving rise to a blended asthetic that is being appreciated worldwide.
What is Pattachitra painting?
Pattachitra- pata meaning cloth and chitra meaning painting, is a folk painting from Odisha, dedicated to Jagannatha temple, Hindu gods and goddesses, and regional narratives, painted on scrolls of clothes by artists of Raghunathapur and nearby villages.
What is special about Pattachitra paintings?
Pattachitra paintings are known for their scroll-style narrative, intricate patterns detailed line work, and use of natural colors to present stories of Hindu tradition, idols of gods and goddesses, and visually depict tales of local and folk culture.
How do I identify a Pattachitra painting?
Pattachitra painting can be identified by its intricate border, use of cotton and silk as the canvas, and bold outlines of figures with natural colors used in painting rich details.
Which cloth is best for Pattachitra painting?
Pattachitra painting is popularly done on cotton and Tussar silk, which is treated by a paste of tamarind and chalk rubbed all over to smoothen the surface and increase the durability of the art.
What is the difference between Odisha Pattachitra and Bengal Pattachitra?
Odisha Pattachitra is dedicated to Lord Jagannatha and other Hindu gods and goddesses and has more intricate designs and lines in comparison to Bengal Pattachitra. The latter depicts images of the goddess Durga, religious legends, and folklore with bolder lines and contrasting colors that are eye-catching.
What themes are commonly used in Pattachitra paintings?
Common themes of Pattachitra paintings are icons of Jagannatha Ji with Balabhdra and Subhadra, Ratha Yatra of Puri, Hindu gods and goddesses, and stories from Indian literature and folk tradition of Odisha.
How is the canvas prepared for Pattachitra paintings?
The canvas for the Pattachitra painting is prepared by rubbing it with a paste of chalk and tamarind seed paste thoroughly to give it an even look and long life.
How are natural colors prepared for Pattachitra?
Natural colors for Pattachitra painting are obtained from different sources. For example, white is made from grinding conch shells, black is obtained from burning coconut shells or from lamp soot, yellow is from turmeric or Haritala (yellow arsenic), and green from crushed leaves.
What are the different styles of Pattachitra paintings?
Odisha Pattachitra, Bengal Pattachitra, and Tala patra chitra are a few varieties of Pattachitra.
How to preserve Pattachitra painting?
To prolong the life of Pattachitra, always keep them in a clean and dry space, away from sunlight or moisture which can degrade the paint and canvas. Gently clean the surface with a soft cloth. If possible, display the painting inside a protective glass to safeguard it from damage caused by touching or dust and other pollutants in the air.
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