Pattachitra painting, an art form that is a part of the rich cultural heritage of Odisha. Pattachitra is one of the oldest forms of art that has found its way into the hearts of millions of art lovers. People from far and near who visit Odisha desire to buy these beautiful pieces of art.
Pattachitra Painting and it’s Origin
What is pattachitra? It is an ancient cloth based painting style from Eastern Indian states of Odisha and West Bengal. The word has a Sanskrit origin. The word ‘patta’ means cloth and ‘Chitra’ means picture.
The roots of this art can be traced back to the 5th or to the 12th century linked to Lord Jagannath. These paintings back then were created exclusively in a small village named Raghurajpur, near Puri in Odisha, as ritual offerings for pilgrims.
The paintings hold a lot of significance in Jagannath culture, as the pattachitra form of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra (Pati Dian) are used as substitutes for worship before Rath Yatra or the Car Festival. It is during the phase in the rituals of Mahaprabhu when the temple idols are bathed, fall ill and are kept away from the public during the Anasara Ritual.
These intricate paintings are made on canvas or treated cloth using natural plant- based dyes or colors. Hand made brushes are used, crafted from animal hair such as squirrel and mouse.
The themes of the paintings are usually taken from Ramayana and Mahabharata. The paintings depict Lord Jagannath and Lord Krishna.
By around the 10th century, a painting tradition similar to this called Bengal patachitra or Patua art developed in West Bengal. Here however, the patachitra carried a different theme. The traveling bards or folk singers used this painting in the form of scrolls to depict folk tales.
Types of Pattachitra
With the passing of time, this form of painting took different forms such as: Odisha Pattachitra, Bengal Patachitra, TalaPatra Chitra, made on dried palm leaves, Kalighat Patachitra of 19th century Kolkata, which depicted urban life and modern themes. Santhal Pattachitra practiced by the Santhal tribes to depict nature and tribal life.
The Present Day Significance of Pattachitra
In the year 2018, Pattachitra painting was recognized by the UNESCO as one in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
In the present times, the art has evolved and is being done on pieces of clothing. People are wearing the art in form of various types of garments and proudly flaunting their traditional roots and rich cultural heritage.
Odia designers are doing their bit too, they are taking this art form to the international forums and earning much well-deserved accolades. This effort is also helping to make the art form popular and generating income for the local artists, helping them to have a better life.
Thus it will be safe to conclude by saying that, Pattachitra has emerged not only as a work of art but as a cultural treasure which has been passed down through generations.
They are bright and beautiful and a reminder of the rich tradition and historical past of Odisha linking art with spirituality.
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