Introduction
Raghurajpur is the heart of Pattachitra where this art is a formation of praying. It is a village that is filled with serenity and a kind of silence that is enthralling to all. The images in the art of pattachitra are so poignant that they seem to attract the audience with the deep stories of the epics of the great Ramayana and Mahabharata.
The Beginning
This form of art began in Jagannath Puri with its intensive rituals. Therefore, it started almost hundred decades ago. When the deities Jagannath, Subhadra and Balabhadra go for their ritual rest in the time of the ‘Snana Yatra’, they are replaced by their symbolic versions on cloth. These symbolic version are nothing but Pattachitra painitings that were created by the temple artists with precision, reverence and most importantly- deep, irreplaceable devotion. Some even believe that these art forms began during the Vedic era with oral traditions that were passed down from the old generation to the new generation. Today the youngsters are obsessed with movies and books but in that era, Pattachitra paintings were the version of movies, books and lessons!
The Process
The Pattachitra artists never used synthetic paints to create their art. The process of making this art can only be done by those ‘chitrakars’ or artists who hold an extreme amount of patience, it is not an art that everyone can excel in.
Firstly, they take a cotton cloth and they layer with a paste. This paste is made of tamarind seeds and chalk. Due to this paste, the cloth loses its softness and gets the texture of handmade paper. Then the artists spend days polishing it and drying it before the magic of painting begins. The natural paints are derived from different sources.
The black colour comes from the soot of lamps, the red is from cinnabar, the artist crushes seaballs to obtain the white paint and he uses indigo for blue. Green colour is taken easily from leaves. The brushes are made from the hair of small animals like squirrels or rats and it is attached to bamboo twigs. Only an artist whose religion is hard work can prepare a pattachitra canvas before painting it.
The Power of Storytelling
Pattachitra paintings are full of color and have a particular symmetry. If you look at them one by one, you will see the stories they showcase, such as how naughty little Krishna was when he stole butter or ten forms of God Vishnu. One of the most acclaimed Pattachitra paintings is that of the Navagunjara which has nine parts; part lion, part snake, part elephant and more. You will never find a Pattachitra paintings which does not have thick, detailed borders. There will almost never be any space that is remaining because the entire canvas is filled with stylized version of God Rama, God Krishna which have almond eyes, curved brows etc. The rest of the space has floral patterns or other symbolic elements like a snake or an elephant.
Modernisation
Nowadays, many art collectors love to buy pattachitra paintings but it has not been recognized by UNESCO yet. Now these artists showcase their work on terracotta, silk, sarees and even digital prints. Instead of mythological themes, many artists now depict political, environmental and social themes like the necessity of gender equality or precautions to take during the rise of a pandemic. Women artisans at one point used to only assist male artisans. Now, they have the power to become independent and earn their own money through art.
Conclusion
Hence, Pattachitra becomes a living tradition. It is relevant because it is still used to showcase important themes that people need to know about. It is one of the greatest forms of art in India.
Author
Shreeja Mukherjee