Top 7 Unknown Facts About Pattachitra Art

Odisha, which is popularly also known as the land of Lord Jagannath, is actually synonymous with one of the ancient art forms, Pattachitra. It is one of those art forms that has survived the test of time and virtually acts as a historical chronicle of India through time. Though they look rustic and simple, it will surprise many to know that these paintings require intense hard work, patience, and skill in craftsmanship.

We will share some interesting bits of unknown information about that form responsible for one of the important reasons for the promotion of Odisha Tourism.

• A single Pattachitra painting might take months to finish

Did you know that the single Pattachitra painting takes at the very least 5 to 15 days, while some can even take months to finish the timing to make one painting depending on the size and intricacies of the painting? In any case, it takes several years of dedicated practice for an artist to carve a magnificent and flawless piece of painting.

• Pattachitra paintings are not just restricted to cloth and canvas

The creativity level of Pattachitra artists is not merely limited to cloth or canvas. By painting murals on the outer walls of their homes, they celebrate this art form too. You can often find these paintings depicting mythological scenes from the Puranas, Mahabharata, the Ramayana, and the Panchatantras.

• Pattachitra art is the illustrated story books of the olden days

You can always see that the primary themes of pattachitra paintings have derived their inspiration from the Vaishnava sect and Lord Jagannath. Oftentimes, the paintings are a visual representation of the stories of Radha Krishna and Lord Jagannath, episodes from Ramayana, incarnations of Vishnu, the Mahabharata, and many more. So you can naturally imagine that much before Amar Chitra Katha, what stories the mothers read to the children in bedtime stories.

• Original Pattachitra paintings are made from 100% natural materials

To keep the original appeal of this artform intact, many things are going on; the chitrakars or the artisans have mastered this art. The application of 100% natural colours and ancient techniques to make this painting gives the Pattachitra an edge over other artforms and speaks volumes about the uniqueness of Odisha culture. While the artisans use mineral coloured named hingula as red, a stone called harikala is used for yellow, and white is made using conch shells.

• You can find the best of Pattachitra artworks in the Raghurajpur village of Odisha

You might notice that the Pattachitra paintings have an uncanny resemblance to the paintings and old murals done on the walls of religious places in ancient Odisha. Though the art form is famous all over the state of Odisha, if you want to find the best work, then you can head straight to Raghurajpur. The artists in this village are deeply driven by love and passion for the art, so they are not just responsible for keeping the art alive for hundreds of years but have also managed to get the status of Heritage Village for the unique and wide range of handicrafts they practice there.

• Pattachitra art usually runs in the family

Typically, the entire family of chitrakars practice the art of painting Pattachitra. While the master painter, who is usually a male, draws the initial sketch and gives the final touches to the painting, the women prepare the canvas, glue, and help fill the borders.

• Pattachitra art gave birth to the Puri school of painting with time

One might not know, but this art form is devoid of any influence from the other schools of Indian paintings, such as the Pahadi and Mughal styles. This is because the Mughals could not invade Odisha for quite a long time, thus giving this art form a window to undergo massive evolution in its own distinct style. It is due to this that the Puri School of Painting developed.

These are some unheard facts about Pattachitra art.

Conclusion

Pattachitra is a traditional painting style typical of Odisha and has significant historical importance to India. Originally, it showed rituals and religious beliefs of the Vaishnava sect, but today, the same painting style is used to create artworks for home decor.

Are you looking to buy Pattachitra art? At ArtMinakshi, we are delighted and proud to promote Odisha Tourism and encourage our artisan’s craft communities who put their heart and soul to create fresh and contemporary expressions using the traditional craft. Go ahead and explore the joy of Pattachitra at https://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtMinakshi. For any query, you can call us at 8984374826 or email us at artminakshi49@gmail.com.