Pattachitra

Pattachitra, meaning "cloth picture" in Sanskrit, has been produced in the villages of Raghurajpur and Paralakhemundi in Odisha for over a thousand years. The art is inseparably linked to the worship of Lord Jagannath at the Puri temple, where Pattachitra paintings serve as portable representations of the deity for pilgrims who cannot enter the inner sanctum.

Traditionally, Pattachitra artists — known as Chitrakars — were attached to the Jagannath temple and produced paintings exclusively for religious purposes. Over generations, the tradition expanded to include secular themes, stories from the epics, and scenes from folk tales. The craft is passed from parent to child, with entire villages dedicated to its practice.

Today, Raghurajpur is a heritage craft village where every family practises Pattachitra, and the art has gained international recognition. It received GI tag protection and continues to evolve, with contemporary Chitrakars exploring new themes while maintaining the traditional techniques and visual grammar.

Pattachitra paintings are created on a specially prepared cloth canvas (Patta) that is made rigid by applying a mixture of chalk powder and tamarind gum. The surface is then polished smooth. Outlines are drawn in black using a brush made from mouse hair, then filled with natural colours.

A distinctive feature of Pattachitra is the elaborate floral border that frames every composition — a convention maintained across all works in the tradition. Natural colours are derived from stones, soil, plants, and shells: lamp black from oil lamps, white from powdered conch shells, red from hingula, yellow from harital.