Patachitra- Oral history on Cloth

India’s association with the loom and the cloth seems almost inevitable and inseparable. This phenomenon is not only relegated to Indian attires; it resonates in various facets of Indian culture; the unique Indian art form ‘Patachitra’ (pronounced as pawtochitro in Bengal) is an example of the same.

Patachitra is an ancient folk art of West Bengal (India). It is a unique tradition of storytelling, narrating oral history and folklore, through the aid of long painted cotton scrolls. (In fact the name of this extraordinary art form itself is suggestive of its tradition, for if viewed through the lens of etymology, ‘Patta’ in Sanskrit would mean ‘cloth’ and ‘chitra’ would mean ‘picture’.) Historically speaking, there has always been a conflict about the origin of this art form. Some think it has an indigenous origin; few trace its origin back to the Mauryan period while others have pointed out to their traces in Sanskrit literature of the 2nd century C.E. However, it is from the 13th century that the ‘Patuas’ of Bengal treaded from one village to the other, carrying their painted cloth scrolls and singing their composed songs of oral history and mythology. Reminiscent to the Bauls of Bengal (wandering minstrels), the Patuas became the chief source of entertainment in the villages due to their outlandish performance of painting and tunes. The ‘Patua community’ has held on to this art form and has passed down the secrets of their artistry as well as the melodious stories they articulate, generation after generation through oral means. However, their role did not remain constricted to the domain of entertainment solely. Since these melodious stories narrated, were always inlaid with morals and just conjectures, the Patachitra in this light, played an important role in the Indian struggle of independence too. History remains testimony of the fact how our Indian cultural ethos, (be it through art forms, cultural performances or literature) had stirred up violent protest against the British Raj in India albeit in the most peaceful ways. Similarly, the Patuas of that century created ‘patas’ like the ‘Khudiram Pata’ or the ‘Sahib Pata’ which were propagandist in its spirit, protesting against the British Raj through the narration of stories from the painted cloth. Their success was marked by the fact that though temporarily, these protest patas were banned by the British officials. Their revival happened once again in the latter half of 18th – 19th century where the patas created were reflective of the urban social life of Bengal and the stories narrated were bejeweled with satire, sarcasm, wit and humor, critiquing the British Raj and the ‘Babu Culture’ of Bengal (to put it very simply, ‘Babus’ were the Bengali elite, favored sycophants of the British, having very little regard for the other people of the Bengali community). The Patuas were revered as Chitrakars (painters) as late as circa 1951. In recent times and after a lot of tryst, this art form has been able to etch its mark globally, with several cultural restoration organizations taking interest in their works and making it reach beyond the realms of Bengal.

A most quintessential Patachitra- Scene from Ramayana

A story telling performance with the aid of painted cloth is not the only reason of exclusivity of this Indian art form. The sui generis of Patachitra has several other reasons behind it. The Patachitra is a true embodiment of the secularism of our nation for the revered fact that most Patuas are from the Muslim community, singing most unabashedly and painting with most beautiful diligence, the songs and images of Hindu mythology. Further, this art form’s significance also lies in the fact that it has become a means of empowerment for the women in their community. The artistry was relegated in the hands of male Patuas before circa 1980’s. However after 1980’s the women started taking active part in this art form. In fact, one of the most famous Chitrakars of the time is a women Patachitra painter, to have received global acclamation, who goes by the name of ‘Swarna Chitrakar’. Not only so, the Patachitra till date are painted with vegetable dyes and the brushes made of animal hair. Though the last sentence emanates a spirit which shows how these artisans follow the organic ways of life, yet most sadly it also becomes reflective of the fact, how in spite of international recognition the Patua community has failed to reap financial success. Partly owing to this financial crunch itself the Patua painters have found their own means of better survival. Originally the Patachitra scrolls were never meant to be sold. However in recent times, the artisans have come up with innovative ideas of selling the Patachitra as painting that can be framed. They have been astute enough to utilize their art work in the quirkiest ways possible- on unisex t-shirts, sarees or canvas shoes. Their paintings on these fashion commodities are increasingly becoming popular among fashion frenzy people. However, in spite of these positive changes that have occurred over time, Patachitra still, like many other Indian art forms, is a diamond encapsulated within layers of coal, waiting to be recognized more widely and appreciated more practically.

Globally acclaimed Patua, Swarna Chitrakar; Muslim by birth, most honestly secular by her living and most importantly a woman artisan from India making her presence felt most dauntingly around the globe!

If this article enkindled the slightest interest in your hearts, make an effort to be a part of preserving this Indian art form, in your own way. You can start by making an effort to read up more on this art form, keep yourself informed about the Patachitra exhibitions in your cities, in the various traditional handicraft fairs or (as much extravagant it may sound, yet) pay the Patua community a visit in Bengal; you wouldn’t regret your decision, for as much as their art form is going to enchant you, the warmth of the people in Bengal would make you reconsider your plans of returning back to your respective cities!