-----The Story-----

The word ‘Pata’ means a piece of cloth. Artists have long been making pictures and illustrations on a canvas of cloth. Such artists, popularly called Patuas, make illustrations of gods and mythical tales on scrolls of cloth canvas. Patuas are a unique community of folk artists of Bengal who are painters, lyricists and singers, all rolled into one. The history of this vibrant and colourful oral-visual art form can be traced back to the 13th century. Their form of scroll paintings is called Patachitra and The songs they render while narrating the stories on the scrolls are called Poter Gaan. The subjects are mostly religious Hindu tales from the Ramayana or the Mahavarata, although most of them are Muslim by religion. Naya, a quaint little village in Pingla block of Paschim Medinipur, is home to around 300 such Patua families. They are also known as Chitrakars, literally meaning picture-makers. Interestinlgly, the term has been adopted as a caste title. Living from donations for their performances given by well-off and middle class villagers, they wander from village to village singing and showcasing their paintings, and make appearances at local fairs. Even the walls of the simple mud houses are decorated with colourful paintings. With time, Patachitra is becoming a struggling art form. Here are a few glimpses of the Patuas and their artistry. Want photos like these? Let’s work together – contact me today!

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