Toshali Sands

Orissa: Line Colour and Form

Paintings of Orissa have colour and vibrancy, which are one of the most effective media of reflecting the life of Orissan people. Tribal people draw fruits, figures and flowers in white rice powder, while others use the rich contrasting clays of the earth to decorate their homes with deftness.

Among paintings the living art of Pattahitra has been traditionally practiced by skilled, traditional. “Chitrakaras” or Mahapatras or Maharanas, the professional painter caste in Orissa . Religious Patronage brought this elegant and detailed art to a sophisticated art form.

It emerged as an important feature in the embellishment of Lord Jagnnath in the inner most sanctum where paintings were specially treated on cloth or pata. Even today they are mostly created on traditionally treated cloth and treated with lacquer to give them a hard surface to hold the primary colour. The artists elaborately prepared the canvas by coating th cloth with a curious mixture of chalk and tamarind seeds. Then they paint o the leathery finish with earth and stone colours, giving meaningful expressions to their artistic skill and imagination.

Patachitra an excellent religious souvenir has also become more secular in its choice of subject matter. Strong traces or tribal folk and bazar paintings are evidnet in the depictions on these patas. The beautifully etched ganjapa cards or ciruclar playing cards are highly popular locally. They depict a fine sense of traditional aesthetics. The Chtrakaras also traditionally have the important task of repainting the jagnnath Temple, deities and chariots every year.

Inspirations are based on the mythological themes from Ramayana and Mahabharat. You could get to see some of the palm-leaf manuscripts (Chitra-potheiese painted palm leaves stacked and held together between pained wooden covers by means of a string board) illustrating the Gita Govinda at the Orissa State Museum as well as New Delhi’s National Museum Paintings created by the palm-leaf etching method can be formed by stringing row of the rectangular leaves together. This can also be opened up like a fan.

The Fine art of Pata Chitra has been revived with great success at the artiss village Raghurajpur. This village is situated outside Puri where 200 families practice the art, handed down from generation to generation. The craftsmen here accord great revence to these family heirlooms along with the family deities for they truly believe that “work is worship”. Through Patchitra Painting we can find the rich culture, religion and tradition of Orissan People.

This folk painting is an ancient and unique craft. Pictures of animlas, flowers, Gods and demons are painted on a specially prepared surface. Orissa’s market places are a veritable treasures houses of art for the visitors. Apart from Pata, Silver filigree works, an excellent selection of wooden and Stone carving of gods, goddess, masks, toys, lacquer Products and Papier mache goods are available in Orissa.