Folktale of Pattachitra - Craft Documentation

FOLKTALE OF PAT TACHITRAA

© National Institute of Design
National Institute of Design,
Paldi, Ahmedabad, India - 380007
Telephone: 079 2662 9500
Fax: +91 79 26621167
E-mail: academic@nid.edu
admissions@nid.edu
info@nid.edu
Written & Designed By: Sumant Kumar
E-mail: sumant_k@nid.edu
Contact: +91 7992435946
Discipline: Lifestyle Accessory Design ’18
FOLKTALE OF PAT TACHITRAA
Author:
Sumant Kumar | Lifestyle Accessory Design ‘18 | M.Des
Documentation Period: (22nd Nov, 2019 - 1st Dec, 2019)
Guide:
Mrs. Shimul Mehta Vyas | Principal Designer | Lifestyle Accessory Design

1
PREFACE
The National Institute of Design, or NID as globally recognised has been centre
for design and invotion since 1961. It’s been 59 years of the journey, highlighting
the fact it was begun at the time when the design education was non-existent. The
institute functions as an autonomous body in the department of Industrial Policy &
Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, as a scientific
and research organisation.
NID has been parallely involved with Crafts as a major focus, for study research
and development. Craft Documentation is a medium an approach to research,
study, experience a craft and the region for students, and also documenting it as a
source of knowledge and reference for other students and the organisation.
Considering the module and the context of narratives, I chose to go to Medinipur,
West Bengal for Craft Documentation. I looked into Knowledge Management
Centre about all the crafts being covered from that region, ‘Patachitra’ craft took
my interest and seeing that this tradition dates back to thousand years and today
it is gaining international recognition through modern technology. I researched
and contacted the authorized organisation in Bengal, who could help me out in my
further research.
Biswa Bangla has been promoted by the Government of West Bengal as a model
that connects cultural heritage conservation to the livelihoods of people. From
there, I got one guide who gave directions to reach the place. So, there I packed
my bags & notes for the journey further.
National Institute of Design, Academic Block,
Photo Credits: Malhar Choudhary

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Through this document, I take the opportunity to thank every single individual
who was part of this memorable learning. I would like to thank NID for its
reputation, as trusted brand who makes this kind of collaboration possible.
This craft documentation module was of great help to learn about various crafts
like woodwork, terracotta, Dokra, mask making & Patachitra, and got to know in
more details in the rich culture of the state West Bengal. It helped me learn how
to procure materials in an enormous amount of hard work to put in each piece of
craft.
I sincerely thank to Mrs. Shimul Mehta Vyas for being a constant support & guide
throughout the course, from research, planning, editing and deriving out of the
document to publish.
I would also like to thank Mr. Amresh Panigrahi for providing us with such an
opportunity to undertake such a project.
I would like to express my profound gratitude to the banglanatak.com
associations, as well as all the craftsperson for for organizing the trip and
welcoming me into their homes along with their workspace and permitting me to
take a peek into their culture, lifestyle and bringing me to the world of
‘Patachitra’ craft.
The jolly behaviour of the artisans & their families made me feel so comfortable
and easy to open up. Their cooperation has made all the journey successful &
efficient in understanding the craft, deriving my own perspective about it, the
community and the region.
I would also like to thank my family and colleagues for being an encouragement
factor throughout the module, without whom this would have been possible.

CONTENT
NARRAA TIVES
What are Narrative /Storytelling Crafts?
NARRAA TIVE CRAA FTS ACROSS INDIA
KAVAD, Rajasthan
PHAD PAINTING, Shahpura, Rajasthan
MATA-NI-PACHEDI, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
CHAMBA RUMAL, Chamba, Himachal Pradesh
KALAMKARI, Andhra Pradesh
DASHAVATAR CARDS, Maharashtra
MADHUBANI, Bihar, Nepal
PATACHITRA, West Bengal & Orissa
MAPPING OF JOURNEY
WEST BENGAL
About the State
History of the State
Culture & Religion
Climate & Seasons
Tourism
Crafts of the region
MEDINIPUR
Background
History of Medinipur
Paschim Medinipur
Festivals & Fair
Places to visit
Cuisine
People & Lifestyle
Demographics
Location & Geographical Area
Topography
Economy
Socio Culture
Geography Map & Torism
Kind of Tourism
Climatic conditions
NAYA, PINGLA
About the place
Location & Maps
Transport - How to reach
Culture & Beliefs
PAT TACHITRAA
Origin
Background
History
Major Aspects
Major Problems
Tracing the Culture of the Craft
NGOs associated with the Craft
Methodology
Colours
Materials
Tools/Techniques
Styles/Themes
NARRAa TION - PATER GAAN
NARRAa TIVES
MEETING THE CRAa FTPERSON - PATUAS
ARTISAN’S PROFILING
CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES
INNN OVATIONS OR CHANGES
FUTURE OF PATACHITRAA
CONCLUSION
NOTES
BIBLIOGRAA PHY

NARRAA TIVES
Life and living are laid out for all to see, whether intended or not. But as a
constructed narrative/storytelling medium, there we have sense, understanding,
awareness about what I am learning and what is that craft about and how its
making sense to the present. This is not just a solipsistic enterprise, but it’s something
opposite from beyond text and story to some facts, place and responsibility
in the world. This works as an effective shift in consciousness, to engage our
senses directly through the piece of art. Craftsmen and the crafts which have
evolved with time, and they live social, cultural, and institutional narratives within
which their experiences are constituted, shaped, expressed, and enacted, which I
believe is good to showcase and communicate. Narrative accounts as first and
foremost a prodigious variety of genres, themselves distributed amongst different
substances. All classes, all society groups, have their narratives, enjoyment of
which is very often shared by everyone with different, even opposing, cultural
backgrounds. Narrative is national, Narrative is international, transhistorical,
transcultural: it is simply there, like life itself.
Narrative helps in articulated language, spoken or written, images, gestures, and
the ordered mixture of all these substances; narrative is present in myth, legend,
fable, tale, novella, epic, history, tragedy, drama, comedy, mime, painting,
stained glass windows, cinema, comics, news or conversation. Crafts that give
us all the perspective we require to contribute our own story to already existing
one of our great traditions, to open new worlds, and to introduce new ways of
thinking. This is the power and purpose of narrative or storytelling crafts as it
breaks down the mindset, skillset and toolset of influential communication. Any
event which contains an element of drama is a Story.
If we look for definitions, descriptions, and discussions of what narratives are,
wewill find many references to the natural humanity of narratives. They are a
part of who we are and how we share that with others.
Crafts which express their imagination, culture and to represent a specific message.
Artisans who challenge and investigate the narrative potential of objects
and make them convey and reflect on themes as diverse as history, culture,
society, and technology.
- Storytelling describes the social and cultural activity of sharing stories.
- Storytelling with a combination of oral narrative, song, and dance, which bring
understanding and meaning to humans.
Stories include:
• Real life descriptions and these might come from our life or from the news
etc.
• Local legends
• Traditional incidents/stories
Why does a story make a point when it is portrayed differently?
• Stories are important because they grip people.
• Stories offer a path to walk along through a chaos of experience.
• Stories offer a living context for language.
• Stories offer a mine of content which can set us on take interests on life
journeys of some event & people.
Everyone loves a story! Everyone has a story. Everyone wants to tell a story.
Everyone can relate to a story. That is why it is important to use narratives.
Narrative is an engaging writing style. It immediately invites our audience into
our world and offers them a chance to participate in the story you are telling.
A reader can easily get wrapped up in a narrative. It is also a style that invites
discussion and participation. By using it we tell our audience that this story is not
over. They can take it home and think about it. They can retell it, add to it and
change it. Narratives are social. They are at the heart of how we communicate
as social beings.

NARRAA TIVE CRAA FTS ACROSS INDIA
PHAD PAINTING, SHAHPURAa , RAa JASTHAN:
Fig. 1
These paintings provide the backdrop against which
the songs, dances and narrations are used to create
an evening of magic and entertainment usually in
the centre of the village of Shahpura, Rajasthan. It
particularly known for its unique history, origin, and
the efforts put into its revival. Phad is an indigenous
painting style of the state of Rajasthan, India, that
depicts the narratives of the folk deities of the state.
The paintings provide the backdrop against which
the songs, dances and narrations are used to create
an evening of magic and entertainment usually in the
centre of the village. This style of painting is the blend
of Rajput and Mughal styles of painting. Originated
thousands of years ago, this fabled heritage of Bhilwara
is done on a long piece of canvas called Phad.
In ancient times, the storytellers would travel from
village to village and narrate the stories using Phads
as their pictorial depiction tool. Singing and dancing
made an integral part of storytelling.
KAA VAD, RAa JASTHAN
Kavad is a practice of kind of storytelling, which also
has a religious significance. It is a travelling shrine containing
within its doors elaborate tales and epics. With
the mystery of a new turn in the tale behind every door,
the Kaavad would leave audiences spellbound. The
Kavad is a mobile story-telling device that sometimes
serves as a temporary temple. It is created by combining
the skills of carpentry, painting and narration. As
separate professions, the carpenter is called a suthar,
an artist is a chitrakar, and a story teller is a bhat. The
Kavad makers combine the work of the carpenter and
artist, while the Kavadia Bhats do the narration. The
Kavad is made only in a village called Bassi, in
Chittorgarh District of Rajasthan.
Fig. 2
(Fig.1)
Narration of Kavad Painting
Image Source: https://www.pintrest.com
(Fig. 2)
Phad Painting depicting the story of “Pabuji Ki Vivaah”
Image Source: https://www.artisera.com/blogs/expressions/phad-paintings-of-rajasthan

(Fig.3)
Mata-Ni-Pachedi Kalamkari Artwork
Image Source: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/515802963570312824/
(Fig. 2)
Chamba Rumaal
Image Source: https://www.artisera.com/blogs/expressions/phad-paintings-of-rajasthan
MATA-NI-PACHEDI, AHMEDABAD,
GUJARAa T:
Mata ni pachedi means ‘behind the mother goddess’
and is a cloth that constitutes a temple of the goddess.
The story goes that when the nomadic Vaghari
community from Gujarat who worship Mata, were not
allowed to enter temples, they instead created their
own places of worship with illustrations of the Mother
Goddess (Mata) on pieces of cloth. Mata ni Pachedi
is also called the Kalamkari of Gujarat thanks to its
resemblance to the art of Kalamkari from South India
and the same method of painting, namely using a
pen (kalam) made out of bamboo.
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
CHAMBA RUMAL, HIMACHAL PRAA DESH:
Chamba rumal‘ implies a peculiar visual art form that
represents unique and charming embroidery done on
a hand spun cloth with untwisted silken thread,which
is greatly inspired from pahari painting. Running
through Chamba, Kullu and Suket (all part of Indian
state of Himachal Pradesh), the craft witnessed
explicitdistinctions between ‘elite’ and ‘folk art’. The
languishing craft of the ‘Chamba Rumal’ refers only
to the delicately embroidered rumals created by royal
and elite women who had access to the professional
services of trained miniature artists. These miniature
artists drew the theme to be embroidered on the
rumal in charcoal, but also provided the women who
would be embroidering the rumal with a sophisticated
colour palette, thus ensuring that the finished piece
of embroidery was aesthetic, delicate and stylized,
an ‘image of a miniature paintingon fabric’. It is now
categorized as a ‘languishing’ craft, thefolk version
continues to be embroidered in the area even today,
used often for the same purposes that it was used for
over a century ago: Everyday use such as to cover
gifts and offerings to Gods, and being exchanged at
the time of marriage between families.
KAA LAMKAA RI, ANDHRAa PRAa DESH:
Kalamkari is an exquisite ancient textile art form that
involves hand drawing or block printing fabrics with
the traditional use of natural vegetable dyes. Though
an item of Kalamkari may be hand block printed
rather than hand drawn, artisans will still employ the
use of a pen to create the finer details of the overall
design which discusses the history, stylistic development,
materials and techniques of kalamkari at both
Srikalahasti and Machalipatnam.
As an art form it found its peak in the wealthy
Golconda sultanate, Hyderabad, in the Middle Ages.
Kalamkari art has been practiced by many families
in Andhra Pradesh and over the generations has
constituted their livelihood. Kalamkari had a certain
decline, then it was revived in India and abroad for its
craftsmanship. Since the 18th century the British liked
the decorative element for clothing. Practised with different
styles in two distinct places in Andhra Pradesh,
Kalmkari from the time it has been displayed before
the world, has captivated, fascinated and enamoured
all those who have come in contact with it. The colors
used, the choice of themes, the sharpness of the lines,
the intricate detailing and its applicability over a wide
range of fabrics have all contributed to its popularity
in the market.
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
DASHAVATAR CARDS, MAHARAa SHTRAa :
The ganjifa cards also known as ganjappa were
narrative cards .i.e. telling stories based on the Indian
mythology. Therefore, Navagano and Dashagano
are playing cards which are narrating symbolism of
the nava avatar of Durga and dashavatar of lord
Vishnu. The specialty of these cards is that they are
traditionally hand-painted. They are typically circular
although some rectangular, oval and hexagonal
decks have been produced. This was a game that
was popular and played across Medieval India. Each
region in the country had its own form of the cards
and game; from the west (modern day Maharashtra)
to the east (modern day West Bengal). In Odisha, it is
widely known as Ganjapa (Odia). Playing cards was
a part of Indian culture especially during the festivals
or functions (occasions) where all the community
members sit together and spend their time in playing
these cards.
(Fig.5)
Kalamkari: An Ancient Style of Hand Painting
Image Source: https://www.utsavpedia.com/motifs-embroideries/
kalamkari-art/
(Fig. 6)
Phad Painting depicting the story of “Pabuji Ki Vivaah”
Image Source: https://www.artisera.com/blogs/expressions/phad-paintings-of-rajasthan

PATACHITRAA , WEST BENGAL & ORISSA
(Fig.7)
Madubani Painting
Image Source: https://www.ancient.eu/img/r/p/500x600/12026.
jpg?v=1584716928
(Fig. 8)
Manasa in Kalighat Patachitra
Image Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pattachitra
Fig. 7
MADHUBANI: BIHAR, NEPAL
Madhubani paintings are alleged to be originated
from the town of Madhubani of Mithila in the North
Indian state of Bihar. The accurate cause or time of
the origination of Madhubani art is unidentified. However,
the legend has it that it came into fashion during
the time of Ramayana, when Janak ordered the artists
in his own realm to make gorgeous paintings for the
wedding of his daughter Sita, to Lord Rama. Firstly,
the women in Madhubani started creation the paintings
on the walls of their huts. With time, the artists
began creating Madhubani art on paper, cloth and
also canvas. Madhubani painting is an emblematical
expression of day-to-day experiences and ideas. As
such, symbolism, plainness and prettiness hold them
together in a single school of traditional art. The
symbols that these Maithili painters use have their
exact meanings as, for instance, fish symbolize fertility,
procreation and good luck, peacocks are related
with romantic love and religion, and serpents are the
heavenly protectors. Characterized by vivacious use of
colour, underlying symbolism and traditional geometric
designs supporting the main theme, the Indian folk
art form of Madhubani succeeded in generating a
place for itself in the international house of fame and
is now recognized globally. The Government of India
is also paying its tribute by starting training programs
educating people on Madhubani paintings.
Pattachitra the ancient folk art of both Orissa
& West Bengal has been mentioned in Puranas,
Epics, Ancient Literatures and Historical Descriptions.
Craftsperson or ‘Patuas’ do not just
paint, they also sing as they unfurl the painting
scroll to show it to the audience. A traditional
performative art from eastern India, the
patachitra tradition is an integral part of
intangible heritage and is an important essence
of folk and traditional media. Through centuries
the patachitra has been a platform where
several methods of communication has converged
including visual messages, oral traditions
and music all of which helped to amalgamate,
involve and portray nature, society and culture
co-existing through a lucid dialogue.
Pattachitra known for its brilliant play of colours,
is an ancient folk art form of rural Bengal (Nayagram
village, West Midnapore) that has been
in existence for many centuries. The word ‘Patta’
is derived from the Sanskrit word Patta meaning
cloth.
Fig. 8

MAPPING OF THE JOURNEY

Image credits: Shamanta Azad Oshin
1. W E S T B E N G A L

1.1 ABOUT THE STATE
West Bengal is a state situated in eastern India and shares its borders
with Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, Sikkim and Assam. It is the only state
in India, where snowy mountains exist in the north, the sea in the south,
with both plains and plateau covering the remaining region. Geography
of West Bengal is diverse, consisting of high peaks of the Himalaya in
the northern extremes to coastal regions down south, with regions such
as plateau and Ganga delta intervening in between. West Bengal was
created as a constituent state of the Indian union on 15th August, 1947
as a result of partition of the undivided British Indian province of Bengal
into West Bengal. It is bounded on the north by Sikkim and Bhutan, on
the east by Assam and Bangladesh, on the south byBay of Bengal and
on the West by Orissa, Jharkhand, Bihar and Nepal. The state lies between
27°13’15” and 21°15’24” north latitudes and 85°48’20u and 89°53’04”
east longitudes.
• The state also shares international borders with Bangladesh, Bhutan
and Nepal. It is the nation’s fourth most populous state with
• around 91 million inhabitants.
• It boasts of different ethnicities, cultures, religions, people and languages
which add to its beautiful landscapes, forests, coastal beauty
as well as its heritage.
• West Bengal has a rich legacy of amazing literature with great
authors like Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay, Rabindranath Tagore,
Kazi Nazrul Islam and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay contributing
their fair share to the Bengali literature as well as to the world
literature. The literature heritage extends well beyond that too.
The area of West Bengal is 88,752 sq.km. Capital of West Bengal is
Kolkata. The number of districts of West Bengal is 19.
1. Darjeeling
2. Jalpaiguri
3. Cooch Behar
4. Uttar Dinajpur
5. Dakshin Dinajpur
6. Malda
7. Birbhum
8. Murshidabad
9. Bardhaman
10. Nadia
11. Purulia
12. Bankura
13. Hooghly
14. North 24 Parganas
15. Paschim Medinipur
16. Howrah
17. Kolkata
18. South 24 Parganas
19. Purba Medinipur
Fig.1.2
Fig.1.1

1.2 CULTURE
Fig.1.3
আমার সকল রসের ধারা
তোমাতে আজ হোক-না হারা ॥
জীবন জুড়ে লাগুক পরশ, ভুবন ব্যেপে জাগুক হরষ,
তোমার রূপে মরুক ডুবে আমার দুটি আঁখিতারা ॥
হারিয়ে-যাওয়া মনটি আমার
ফিরিয়ে তুমি আনলে আবার ॥
ছড়িয়ে-পড়া আশাগুলি কুড়িয়ে তুমি লও গো তুলি,
গলার হারে দোলাও তারে গাঁথা তোমার ক’রে সারা ॥
Let all my emotions,
Find completion in you today
Let my entire life be touched, let the whole world rejoice
Let my two eyes die drowning in your beauty,
My mind that had gone astray
You carried it back again
All my scattered desires, please pick them up
Stringing them up swing them in the garland round your neck
The state also shares international borders with
Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. It is the nation’s
fourth most populous state with around 91 million
inhabitants. It boasts of different ethnicities,
cultures, religions, people and languages which
add to its beautiful landscapes, forests, coastal
beauty as well as its heritage. The culture of
West Bengal is considered to be one of the
richest cultures in India. Kolkata (Calcutta) is
called the Cultural capital of India. The state
also takes the credit for being the pioneer of
cosmopolitan culture in the country. Over years,
the culture of West Bengal has emerged as the
perfect blend of modernity & traditions. The
sanctity of the Ganges Hooghly, the beauty
of Eastern Himalayas, the diversity of Sunderbans
and the freshness of the Tea Gardens, the
beaches, the historical monuments, all blend
together to constitute what we call the unique
culture of West Bengal. Bengali culture also
has its root in Bengali music, Bengali cinema
and Bengali literature. The delicious Bengali
cuisine also forms an important constituent of
the state’s cultural heritage. The colours and
participation of people of religions, categories in
the festivals along with wide range of Creative
Arts and crafts now being adored all over as
“Biswa Bangla”.
1.2.1 LITERAa TURE
West Bengal has a rich legacy of amazing
literature with great authors like Michael Madhusudan
Dutt, Dinabandhu Mitra, Raja Ram
Mohan Roy, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Rabindranath
Tagore, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Sarat
Chandra Chattopadhyayand Ishwar Chandra
Bandyopadhyay Kazi Nazrul Islam and Bankim
Chandra Chattopadhyay contributing their fair
share to the Bengali literature as well as to the
world literature. The literature heritage extends
well beyond that too. There has been a long
tradition of folk tales like the Thakurmar Jhuli,
stories of Gopal Bhar and much more which
in their popularity bear a great resemblance
to famous stories like Arabian nights and the
Panchatantra. Bengalis have played a significant
role in modernising the course of Indian literature.
Bengali literature is regarded as one of the
richest in the world. The first evidence of Bengali
literature is formed by a collection of 8th-12th
century CE Buddhist mystic poems from Eastern
India, named Charyapada or Charyageeti.
(Fig.1.1)
A glimpse of sunny day in Kolkata capturing the essence of
the state with a still Ambassador
Image Source:
https://unsplash.com/photos/DlRiGnGwQl4
(Fig.1.2)
Map of West Bengal
Image Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_districts_of_West_Bengal
(Fig.1.3)
Portrait of Rabindranath Tagore
Image Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rabindranath_Tagore_
in_1909.jpg

1.22 THEATRE & FILMS
West Bengal has a long-standing tradition of
folk drama known as Jatra. With a rich Bengali
tradition embracing poetry, music, theatre, film,
and art, Kolkata is known as the cultural and
intellectual capital of India. This form of theatre
is a musical drama which depicts some story in
a melodious manner even while acting it out on
stage. The dialogues are all dramatic
monologues, and nowadays the play is usually
preceded by a musical concert to attract the
audiences. West Bengal has its own film industry
known as ‘Tollywood’ as it is based in the
Tollygunge region of West Bengal. It has a long
list of acclaimed filmmakers both nationally and
globally, including the Academy Award-winning
film director Satyajit Ray. Other famous contemporary
filmmakers include Rituparno Ghosh,
Aparna Sen, Nandita Roy etc. The theatre in
Bengal dates back to 18th century. Reflecting
the rich art and cultural lineage of the state, it
gained prominence during the freedom struggle
of India, when it was used as a tool of expression.
Apart from the religion folk dramas prevalent
in many parts of Bengal.
of modernisation, there are numerous references
toterracotta art and Kalighat paintings
which show that art was loved for a long time in
region.
1.24 ARCHITECTURE
The city of Calcutta used to be the Capital of
India during the British reign and so it has a lot
of buildings reflecting the British culture. There
are various temples, mosques, churches, rajbaris
(Home of the aristocratic people in the olden
times). Calcutta was once known as the ‘City of
Palaces’. With the growing status as a cosmopolitan,
Kolkata has flats coming up in its newer
region. Architectural influences from different
eras continue to be a part of the region. There
are buildings of public and private use that show
influences of Terracotta, Indo- Saracenic, Islam
and British.
(Fig.1.4)
Landscape of the Victoria Memorial
Photo Credits:
Heera Ramesh
(Fig.1.5)
Prinsep Ghaat in night view
Photo Credits:
Ankit Bhattacharya
1.23 FINE ARTS
Bengal is credited to be the forerunner of
modern contemporary art with famous artists
like Abanindranath Tagore, Gaganendranath
Tagore, Jamini Roy, Rabindranath Tagore being
among the forefront to promote modernization
of art in the country. Abanindranath Tagore is
sometimes referred to as the ‘Father of Modern
Indian Art’, and he went on to establish the Bengal
School of Art to promote artistic styles out of
the European influence. Even before advent
Fig.1.4
Fig.1.5

1.25 MUSIC & DANCE
Music forms an integral part of the art and culture
of West Bengal. Representing the rich cultural
tradition of the past, the state has two important
schools of Classical Music that are known for their
unique styles. The Schools of Music or the different
Gharanas reflect the enriched cultural and social life
of West Bengal. Bangla Music forms an important
part of Bengali cultural heritage. In fact, the music
of West Bengal compliments and adorns its culture.
There is a lot of variety within Bengali music, from
Bangla classic to Banga folk and even rock. Apart
from the vocal and instrumental classic, Majlishi
classic (with Thumri and Toppa) form an important
part of Bengali Music. West Bengal is renowned
worldwide for its richness and variety. Dance and
music are essential parts of Bengali culture which
reflects the rich cultural heritage of the state. Dance
and music of West Bengal are known across the
globe for their beauty and fervor. The music of West
Bengal also refers as Bangla Sangeet. Some of the
popular Music of Bengal are: Classical bangla music,
Rabindra Sangeet & Baul music
1.26 FOOD CULTURE
Bengali cuisine is one of the finest blends of non-vegetarian
and vegetarian dishes. Bengali cuisine generally
involves a hot palette, using a large number of
herbs, spices and roots in order to create dishes that
are full of depth. However, these flavors can also be
manipulated to create more delicate tastes, and it
is important to note that dishes vary from region to
region. West Bengal is popularly known as the land
of Maach, which means fish and Bhaat means rice.
The essence of cooking a Bengali meal is delicately
balanced between the main ingredients and its
seasonings. The humblest of pulses gain an unforgettable
identity because of the phoron or flavouring
added at the end.
1.27 FESTIVALS
There is a popular saying in Bengali ‘‘Baro Mase
Tero Parban’: it literally means thirteen festivals in
twelve months. Almost all festivals of all religions
are celebrated here with equal religious sentiment
and fervor. The people of West Bengal strive hard to
maintain the tradition and culture of its land in the
festivals they celebrate. A great number of fairs are
also organized. The most popular festival celebrated
in West Bengal is Durga Puja where all the people
come out in the streets and celebrate this four day
festival. Other festivals celebrated in West Bengal
are Kaali Puja, Basant Panchami, Dushera, Bahi
Dooj, Holi, Mahavir Jayanti, Buddha Jayanti, Rathyatra
and Christmas. Other events which have almost
taken the form of festivals are Rabindra Jayanti
(birthday of Rabindranath Tagore), Birthday of Sri
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Birthday of Netaji
Subhas Chandra Bose.
1.28 TRAa DITIONAL DRESSES
The state of West Bengal is synonymous with a rich
cultural heritage that reflects in its literature, cuisine,
music, painting and much more. Bengal’s sartorial
legacy derives from the royal patronage and the
nobility that valued the richness of traditional techniques
of weaving, embroidery and stitching. Bengali
women traditionally wear a sari, draping the ‘pallu’
in a special manner that is exclusive to the state of
West Bengal.With modernisation, shalwar kameez
have also become famous with the newer generation
wearing jeans, dresses and skirts too. The men used
to wear dhoti kurtas in olden times but now do so
only during some special occasions like during festivals
or marriages.
(Fig.1.6)
Durga Puja - One of the most celebrated festival
of West Bengal, Pujos in Kolkata are grand,
bright and colourful
Image Source:
https://www.outlookindia.com/outlooktraveller/
photos/pujos-in-kolkata-are-grand-bright-and-colourful/14894
Fig.1.6

1.3 CLIMATE & SEASON
West Bengal has a tropical climate. The plains
are hot except during the short winter season.
The mountainous region in the north is cold.
On account of its altitude but there humidity is
high. The classical tradition speaks of six seasons-Spring,
Summer, the rainy, Autumn, mild
Winter and severe Winter. Only four clearly
marked seasons with a brief interregnum of
spring are observed, namely the hot season, the
rainy season, the post monsoon season corresponding
to autumn and the cold season. The
hot season lasts from mid-March to mid-June,
with the day temperature ranging from 38o C
to 45oC in different parts of the state. At nights,
a cool southerly breeze carrying moisture from
the Bay of Bengal is usually present. The high
temperature often causes troughs of low pressure
to form on the plains which are compensated
by sudden brief storms known as kal-baisakhi or
‘nor-westers’, accompanied by thunder showers.
These summer storms can be quite destructive.
The hills of Darjeeling district are pleasantly cool
in summer, the higher reaches are sometimes
enveloped in heavy fog. On some days, one is
rewarded by the sight of the majestic snow-girt
Kanchanjunga and the eastern Sikkim ranges
and the greenness of the wooded hills and gorges
that abound on all sides.
The monsoon arrives by the middle of June. Its
scouts start arriving about two weeks before its
normal onset. This is called the Chhota monsoon
which breaks the hot spell of summer. The monsoon
rains in West Bengal are caused solely by
the current wind from the Bay of Bengal.
Variability is a characteristic feature of the
monsoon in west Bengal as well as Bangladesh
and Orissa which all receive the impact of the
south-west Bay current. Breaks in the continuity
of rain are not unusual, the resultant thoughts of
low pressure develop into cyclone storms especially
towards the end of the season and in early
autumn.
A welcome change in the weather begins to
be distinctly felt towards the end of September.
Autumn in West Bengal is the season for
festivity in the fields the golden grain of paddy
starts ripening and is harvested towards the end
of the season. The conclusion of the round of
the festivities marked the onset of the winter in
mid-November.
Winter, which lasts about three months, is mild
over the plains, the average minimum temperature
not falling 15o C. It is attended by a cold
and dry northern wind, substantially lowering
the humidity level. Winter is the season for the
rabi crops-pulses, potato and vegetables and
citrus fruits that grow on the Darjeeling hills.
There occurs a short interregnum of clouds and
rain usually the last week of December and the
first week of January, caused by the incursion of
the western monsoon coming all the way from
the Arabian Sea. The cold is severe on the hills
and there are sometimes sleet and snow on the
higher reaches during the days of rain.
The weather gets warmer by the middle of February,
which heralds a brief spring season lasting
about a month during which the deciduous trees
break out in young green leaves and flowers. But
this mellow season is too short-lived and the heat
is turned on until with the coming of April, clammy
summer comes in full blast and the annual
cycle of seasons rolls on once again.
TEMPERATURE
30°C to 43°C
Summer
March to May
28°C to 38°C
Monsoon
June to October
10°C to 19°C
Winter
November to February
(Fig.1.7)
Beautiful cloudy weather captured while travelling in train
Photo Credits:
Omprakash Prasad
Fig.1.7

1.4 TOURISM
West Bengal is a land of many natural splendours.
Adding to its charm and appeal are the magnificent
heritage architecture, colourful folk festivals, beautiful
arts and crafts, traditional and contemporary music,
theatre and films and delicious ethnic specialities that
make West Bengal truly a brilliant experience offering
unique diversities. The tourism in the State of West
Bengal is primarily cultural. The Indian Tourism Development
Corporation (ITDC), the India Tourism, Govt.
of India, the Department of Tourism, Government of
West Bengal and the West Bengal Tourism Development
Corporation (WBTDC), undertake the policies
of developing and provide directions for the better
management of tourism in the State. The State‘s
tourism policy envisages providing policies along with
organizational and strategic direction, to develop the
places of tourist interests. It also provides comfortable
environment with necessary facilities to tourists and
pilgrims, to improve the quality of tourism product
and to market the tourism products domestically and
internationally for the economic, environmental, social
and cultural benefits for the visitors. The Government
is also offering various incentives to the private sectors
for the development of infrastructure to facilitate the
growth of tourism in the state. But during the last
thirty years, there was lack of the focus on the numerous
museums and heritage sites of the state. Possibly
the importance of the museums and heritages is not
properly understood by the stakeholders. West Bengal
offers a colorful variety of experiences to the tourist.
Its capital, Kolkata, is as cosmopolitan a city as any.
In close proximity lie the Sundarbans, a UNESCO
World Heritage Site which is home to the Royal
Bengal Tiger. Coastal areas like ‘Digha’ and ‘Mandarmani’
are popular tourist places in this state which
attract their fair share of beach lovers. A different
travel experience awaits you in places like Bishnupur,
Bankura and Shantiniketan, which showcase the rich
cultural heritage of the state. Hill stations like Darjeeling,
Kalimpong and Lava are exciting getaways from
the plains and are known for their distinct culture and
lifestyle. Wildlife sanctuaries like Jaldapara and Gorumara
draw your attention to its rich wildlife. In pilgrimage
destinations like Dakshineswar and Kalighat,
you undergo a profound spiritual experience.
Fig.1.9
(Fig. 1.8)
Travel scene in one random street of West bengal
Image Source:
https://lucknownews.live/indias-10-richest-states-in-2019/india-westbengal-148317058835o/
(Fig.1.9)
Bankura, Bishnupur : where every bricks tells a story
Image Source: https://taattva.in
Fig.1.8

CRAFTS OF WEST BENGAL
1.5 CRAA FTS OF THE REGION
West Bengal have a glorious heritage. Handicraft
products of this state are incomparable in quality,
beauty, variety, grace and elegance. They reveal the
heritage of the religion, culture and creed of the land.
Vast folk of people earn their livelihood on these
crafts. But as India came in touch of the West, these
crafts faced competition with machine-made products
of the West and most of them now do not exist.
of the village, the industry moved to Bishnupur village
in Bankura district. The sari industry prospered in
Bishnupur, Bankura during the reign of the Malla
dynasty. But this flourishing trend later declined, especially
during British rule, due to political and financial
reasons and it became a dying craft as most of the
weavers were compelled to give up the profession.
1.51 BALUCHARI SAREES, BANKURAA
Silks of Bengal were much acclaimed over the world
since ancient times. Among them the most well known
silk sari, which carries its legendary name, Baluchari,
is a product of exquisite design and fabulous weaving
technique of Bishnupur in West Bengal. Baluchari
sari is a type of sari and a garment worn by women
across India and Bangladesh. This particular type of
sari originated in Bengal and is known for depictions
of mythological scenes on the pallu of the sari. It is
mainly produced in Murshidabad and producing
one sari takes approximately one week or more. The
Baluchari sari has been granted the status of the
geographical indication in India.
In the history of textile in Bengal, Baluchari came
much after Maslin. Two hundred years ago Baluchari
was used to be practised in a small village called
Baluchar in Murshidabad district, from where it got
the name Baluchari. In the 18th century, Murshidquali
Khan, Nawab of Bengal patronised its rich weaving
tradition and brought the craft of making this sari
from Dhaka to the Baluchar village in Murshidabad
and encouraged the industry to flourish. After a flood
in the Ganga river and the subsequent submerging
Fig.1.11
(Fig. 1.10)
Crafts of West Bengal
Image Source: https://www.craftscouncilofindia.org/indian-crafts-map/
west-bengal/
(Fig.1.11)
Detail of a Baluchar silk sari, West Bengal
Image Source: https://textilesofindia.in/history-of-a-weave-baluchari-sarees/
Fig.1.10

(Fig.1.12)
Work of Bikna, The Last Dokra Village
Image Source:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/23985194@N06/5356420442
1.52 DOKRAa , POTTt ERY & BAMBOO WORKS:
From the heart of West Bengal comes an art so
eternal, it is cast in the absoluteness of metal.
An ancient method of making metal artefacts,
Dhokra art goes back 5000 years. What’s shocking,
however, is that this tribal art form, done
by the traditional metalsmiths of Bengal – the
Dhokra Damar tribes, has survived the test of
time and is still in use today. Here’s a look at the
journey of this metal art from the heartlands of
Bengal to the rest of the world. Dhokra art is essentially
stunning metal figurines fashioned from
bronze and copper based alloys using a ‘lost wax
casting’ known as ‘cire perdue’ in French.
There are several processes involved in the
making of Dhokra art and hence, a single piece
could take up to a month or two to be created.
Dokra is one of the earliest known methods
of non-ferrous metal casting known to human
civilization. The tribal art of dokra craft is an
ancient process of producing metalware by the
‘lost wax casting’ (cire perdue) process. The word
Dokra is also used to specify a group of nomadic
craftsmen scattered over Bengal, Orissa, Andhra
Pradesh and Raigarh and Bastar districts of
Chhattisgarh in central India and are identified
by their marvelously fashioned and ornamented
metal goods. Of all craftsmen in West Bengal,
these metal smiths are generally most mistreated
as social outcasts. Consequently they are called
Dokras. Some of the regions in Bengal which are
famed for Dokra metal craft are Burdwan, Midnapore,
Birbhum, Purulia and Bankura. Dokra
artisans of Bankura, where 36 families in all and
now the largest cluster in West Bengal live in a
small village called Bikna just outside Bankura
town. The main hallmark of Dokra craft is
primitive simplicity, charming folk motifs, a rustic
beauty and imaginative designs and patterns.
Their aesthetic senses and skills have undergone
a lot of evolution over the years. Untutored in
recognized institutions, the talent and artistic
wisdom of these people are the outcome of the
instinctive and inborn creativity and intuitive
innovative sense evolved over thousands of years.
Every village, of almost every state of India, has
a potter (Khumbar or Kumhar) who ‘wheels’
out an amazing variety of household utensils
and other objects of utility. The rich traditions
of pottery are found both in the Northern and
in the Southern States. Each area has different
styles of pottery.
Fig.1.12
Local traditions and the type of clay available
irifluence the shapes, forms and the decorative
designs (Saraswati 1978). The potter, Kumbhar,
as we will see is an integral part of the life of
the people. Apart from the ordinary clay utensils
that are produced perhaps in all places, some
ofthe potters’ groups have developed a specialized
genre of pottery, be it in the realm of
religious or votive objects or decorative pieces or
ordinary vessels. Some of the pottery traditions
the special treatment of the clay, distinctiveness
either in style or in form, or both. A range of
these well known centres of clay art is found
across the country.In West Bengal, varieties of
bamboos are available. Each type of bamboo
has its own characteristics. The gonda, goda and
genthe bamboos are thick, heavy and knotty
while the beseni, muli and talta bamboos are
light, thin and hollow. The uses of different types
of bamboos vary according to their durability,
characteristics and appearance. The thick and
knotty bamboos are mainly used for structural
purposes, for making furniture and fencings.
Bamboo is cut into pieces as per the desired sizes
and is soaked in water for nearly three days,
then are sun dried and slices are made of desired
shapes and sizes. Slices are generally thin
to make it pliable so are easier to twine and
weave. A wide variety of patterns can be made
by changing the size, colour, or placement of
a certain style of weave. To achieve a multi-coloured
effect, the artists first dye the twine and
then weave them together in elaborate patterns.
The crafts persons work from the courtyard of
their homes.
Fig.1.13
TERRAa COTTt A::
1.53 TERRAa COTTt A:
Fig.1.14
Terracotta craft is more or less the same as its
name. It refers to the art of shaping clay into
beautiful designs and then baking them at high
temperature, to grant them stiffness and stability.
The origin of terracotta dates back to several
thousand years. Often also described as clay
craft, terracotta signifies man’s first attempt at
craftsmanship. An integral part of the terracotta
creations, the potter’s wheel, is recognized as
the first machine invented to use the power of
motion for a productive purpose. The universal
appeal and charm has prompted pottery to be
termed as the lyric of handicrafts.
(Fig. 1.12)
Bamboo Craft of West Bengal
Image Source: https://www.tourmyindia.com/states/west-bengal/artsand-crafts.html
(Fig.1.13)
Bankura Horse, West Bengal
Image Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bankura_horse

(Fig.1.14)
Kantha work on Bird Chirpping
Image Source:
https://www.rangamaati.com/we-love-coffee/
(Fig.1.15)
Conch Shell
Image Source:
https://feltingandfiberstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/pict7107.jpg?w=640
1.54 KAA NTHA EMBROIDERY:
Kantha embroidery is an indigenous household
craft that continues to be a dominant textile art
and craft form due to its uniqueness for traditional
and folk designs, ability to tell a story and
as a form of personal and artistic expression. A
quilted embroidery based craft form predominantly
practiced by rural women as it originated
as a household craft amongst rural families, with
techniques passed down from mother to daughter
and are popular dowry traditions. Kantha
embroidery originated as a way of recycling old
or unused cotton sarees and dhotis, in order to
create household items such as quilts, comforters,
shawls, home linen and more, using a simple running
stitch (Dhamija, 2004). It involves stitching
of the layers of old cloth together with needle
and colored thread. The original kantha is double-faced
where the design appeared identical
on either side of the quilt (Naik, 1996). The craft
is widely practiced in the dwellings of millions of
rural women residing in districts of Hooghly, Purba
Burdwan, Paschim Burdwan, Murshidabad,
North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas and
Birbhum of West Bengal.
Fig.1.14
1.55 CONCH SHELL
Fig.1.15
Conch shell craft is one of the oldest folk crafts
of West Bengal. The carvings on the conch
shell reflect the social, mythological and historical
expressions, rendered with the help of the
traditional folk knowledge and technology.Conch
shell craft manufacturing is a family profession
and everyone in the family takes an active part.
The traditions, skills and techniques needed
here are confined to family members only and
is transferred within the family through practical
demonstration. It is done with a special type of
semicircular saw with a minute sharp edge called
Sankher Karat. The process involves collection
of raw materials, processing of the conch shell,
shaping of the object with the help of tools, engraving
or embossing various designs and then
the polishing and completing of the product.

2. M E D N I P U R

2.1 BACKGROUND
Midnapore town or Medinipur, as it is locally known
It is a fine blend of diverse cultures and religions of
India. The strong history and is preserved well in its
modern locale. Midnapore district was a district of the
state of West Bengal, it was divided into the Purba
Medinipur District and the Paschim Medinipur District.
Purba Medinipur District or East Midnapore District
is the southernmost district of Burdwan division. The
headquarters is located at Tamluk. Its popular attractions
included Shankarpur, Muktidham, Kurumbera,
Garbeta, Digha, Haldia, Junput, etc. Paschim Medinipur
district or West Midnapore district is among
one of the biggest districts of West Bengal. It is much
enriched in archaeology. Pre-historic features of this
region can be proved from its Stone Age evidences,
which are collected from the river-beds of Subarnarekha,
Kansavati and Tarapheni. Famous attractions
here are Chandrakona, Jhargram Royal Palace,
Deer Park, etc.. Midnapore combines the beauty of
India’s multi religious culture with the exuberance of
ancient history. Midnapore (also written as Medinipur
and Midnapur). is a town in West Bengal, India. The
city is the headquarters of, and gives its name to,
the Paschim Medinipur district of the state of West
Bengal.
Midnapore district is situated between 21°36* and
22°57* North latitude and between 86°53’ and 88°
11* East longitude. The district falls into four natural
divisions. In the north and north-west it embraces a
portion of the eastern fringe of Chotanagpur plateau,
and consists of a hard laterite formation. The dense
sal forests that cover the plains offered the defenders
of these mahals opportunities of carrying on guerilla
warfare. The town also gives its name to a subdivision
of the district. It is also the base for several wellknown
colleges like the Oriental Institute of Science
and Technology, the Midnapore Medical College and
Hospital, Midnapore Law College, etc. This is one of
the few towns in perhaps all of India’s semi Urban
landscape that has so many places to offer in their
sheer number. A number of prehistoric sites of great
interest are being excavated throughout the West
Midnapore district.
Fig. 2.2
Fig. 2.3
(Fig. 2.1)
Temple of Pathra. Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal. India.
Image Source:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/62558170@N04/8710390889
(Fig. 2.2)
The Crumbling Temples of Chandrakona
Image Source:
hIttps://www.livehistoryindia.com/cover-story/2020/05/04/
the-crumbling-temples-of-chandrakona
(Fig. 2.3)
Midnapore Railway Station
Image Source:
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7r76h9
Fig. 2.1

2.2 HISTORY OF MEDINIPUR
In ancient times the region seems to be highly
influenced by Jainism and Buddhism. Coins issued by
Samudragupta have been found in the near vicinity
of the town.Originally this region belongs to the Kalinga-Utkal
(ancient Orissa) empire. The kingdom of
Shashanka and Harshavardhana also included part
of undivided Midnapore in their kingdom. However,
the most significant archaeological site in the region is
the bustling port of Tamralipta near present-day Tamluk,
a site noted in the travelogues of Fa Hien and
Hiuen Tsang. Later Chaitanya passed through the
area on his way from Puri to Varanasi as documented
in the Chaitanya Charitamrita.After the fall of last
independent Hindu dynasty of Kalinga-Utkal (ancient
Orissa) Gajapati Mukunda Deva in 16th century this
region came under one of the five Sarkars of Mughalbandi
Orissa i.e. Jaleshawr Sarkar which was ruled by
the Subehdar of Orissa. The north boundary of Jalshwar
Sarkar was Tamluk & south was Soro & Dhalbhumgarh
in the west to bay of bengal(Purva Sagara) in
the east. Midnapore is famous for its contribution in
the history of Indian freedom movement since it has
produced a seemingly endless list of martyrs. During
the British Raj the town became a centre of revolutionary
activities starting from the Santhal Revolt
(1766-1767) and the Chuar Revolt (1799).
The Zilla School, now known as Midnapur Collegiate
School was the birthplace of many extremist activities.
Teachers like Hemchandra Kanungo inspired and
guided the pupils to participate in the Indian Freedom
Movement. Three British District Magistrates were
assassinated in succession by the revolutionaries Bimal
Dasgupta , Jyothi Jibon Ghosh, Pradoot Bhattacharya
, Prabhakangsu Pal,Mrigan Dutta,Anath Bandhu Panja,Ramkrishna
Roy,Braja Kishor Chakraborty,Nirmal
Jibon Ghosh. Khudiram Bose and Satyendranath Basu
were some of the young men that liad down their lives
for the freedom of India. Kazi Nazrul Islam attended
political meetings in Midnapore in the 20s. Even Raja
Narendra Lal Khan, ruler of Narajole, who donated
his palace on the outskirts of town, for the establishment
of Midnapore’s first college for women, had
been implicated, (although it turned out to be false)
for planting a bomb.
Khudiram Bose was born in the Habibpur in 1889 and
studied at Midnapore Collegiate School up to the
eight standard. He was first caught by a policeman
for distributing seditious leaflets in Midnapore in 1906.
He was an anarchist at heart and protested against
the moderate policies of Surendranath Banerjea. Khudiram
was sentenced to death for a failed attempt to
kill Magistrate Kingsford. Satyendranath was executed
on the 21st November 1908. Noted freedom-fighter
and Bengal Province Congress Committee President,
Birendranath Sasmal practiced at the Midnapore
High Court for a few years.
Rishi Rajnarayan Basu, one-time tutor of Rabindranath
Tagore Asia’s first Nobel Prize winner, was
headmaster of the Zila School in 1850. He founded a
girls’ school, a night school for workers, and a public
library. The Rajnarayan Basu Pathagar (library) is still
in existence near Golkuar Chowk. Not only Hindu activists
but Muslim statesman originated or spent time
in Midnapore. Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy founder
of the Awami League, a prominent political party in
Bangladesh, and the 5th Prime Minister of Pakistan
hailed from a prominent family of Midnapore.
(Fig. 2.4)
Awasghar Temple, Midnapore, Bengal - 1869
Image Source:
https://www.oldindianphotos.in/2016/04/awasghar-temple-midnapore-bengal-1869.html
Fig. 2.4

2.3 PASCHIM MEDINIPUR
Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal,
comprising part of erstwhile Medinipur district, is
mostly associated with the ancient port city of Tamralipta
or Tamralipti. This port city is believed to have
been the exit point of the trade route for the South
and South- East Asia during the Mauryan era. It
was located on the bank of river Rupnarayana and
was connected by roads with the major ancient cities
like Rajgriha, Shravasti, Patiliputra, Varanasi and
Taxila. In the very beginning, Medinipur, now known
as modern Tamluk, used to be known as Tamralipta
whose location can be pinpointed to that tract in the
east of the district which is slightly above sea-level
and intersected by numerous waterways. This part
was inhabited by tribes or communities of fishermen,
boatmen and sailors. Medinipur’s significance can be
established from the fact that it used to be the capital
of an ancient kingdom and flourished as a sea-port.
The stronghold of the Kaibartas, fishing and boating
caste finds adequate mention in the Pillar Edict V of
Asoka as Kevata, and in the Vajrasenayi Samhita(Yajurveda)
as Kevatta.
In Paschim Medinipur, particularly in the western part
of the district, now known as Jungle Mahals, nomadic
life was a prominent feature. This area was inhibited
by the nomadic Primitive Tribal Group (PTG)
of Lodha and Birhor community. They were mostly dependent
on traditional hunting and gathering mode
of living. It is believed that the nomadic Sabars of the
present day and the Lodhas (a distortion of the Sanskrit
word lubdhaka meaning trappers or hunters) are
descendants of the former nomadic hunting communities.Midnapore
is famous for its contribution in the
history of Indian freedom movement since it has produced
a seemingly endless list of martyrs. During the
British Raj the town became a centre of revolutionary
activities starting from the Santhal Revolt (1766-1767)
and the Chuar Revolt (1799). The city is also notable
because of its position as a centre of culture and as a
major railway hub. Further divided into East Medinipur
and West Medinipur, the area is replete with a
fascinating history and plenty of tourist attractions.
This has made it a popular tourist site, especially with
the local population of Bengal.
Medinipur also played a significant role in the Indian
freedom movement, with many local freedom fighters
laying down their lives for the country. Blessed with
abundant greenery, thick forests, and beautiful beaches,
Medinipur promises fun-filled vacations to visiting
tourists. If you’re headed to the east of the country,
take a few days to explore this beauteous region. To
make the most of this vibrant district, divide your
trip in terms of time and number of days between
East Midnapore and West Midnapore. Digha is
undoubtedly the most popular spot in East Medinipur,
a favorite beach destination for many Bengalis
and Calcuttans. However, if you’re looking for a less
commercial, more pristine beach, make a trip to
Shankarpur, which is a lot calmer and possibly a lot
more beautiful.
West or Paschim Medinipur is where the forested
regions of the district are situated. Jhargram and
its forests are perhaps the most visited tourist spots
in the area. The dense forests are home to various
animals such as the elephant, deer and birds, making
any trip to the region unforgettable. Old palaces
and temples showcase the cultural heritage of the
region, as well. Other places that you can visit include
Arabari Forest Range and Hatibari, among others.
Fig. 2.6
(Fig. 2.5)
Glimpse of the Nature at Paschim Midnapore, Bengal
Photo Credits:
Boudhayan Bardhan
(Fig. 2.6)
Map divison of Purba & Paschim Midnapore, Bengal
Image Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/MidnaporeDistrictcopy.jpg
Fig. 2.5

(Fig. 2.7)
Goddess Durga Idol
Photo Credits:
Tonu Deep
(Fig. 2.8)
Durga Idol in Making
Photo Credits:
Sauvik Bose
2.31 FESTIVALS AND FAIRS:
Fairs and Festivals of Medinipur bring out the colours
of Medinipur in the most eloquent way. Medinipur has
a rich heritage exhibiting both religious festivals and
the specialized fairs. Medinipur district strives to be
the home of diverse communities, saints and devotees.
Therefore along with the humdrum of religious
festivities the populace also observe the birthdays
and departing days of eminent personalities or saints,
devotional gatherings or meetings are arranged and
this number would stand 730 or more, Medinipur is
the town of the brave patriot and points towards the
memoirs of the personality whose sacrifice and its
aftermath is till observed amidst the nook and corners
of Medinipur.
As for example in the year 1906, Krishi-Shilpa Mela
was arranged in Old Jail Ground of Midnapore town,
where Khudiram, the brave patriot boy made an
assault against police, as they tried to take him in
their custody. Gandhi Mela in Medinipur had been an
ardent attempt to set a movement against the British
rule, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the father of
the nation, came to Medinipur four times. First time,
on 20th September, 1921, he inspired the people
for advocating in Non-Cooperation, in a gathering
at College-Collegiate Ground. Second time, on 4th
July, 1925, at Gope Palace, next day at Charkha and
Khadi Exhibition, on 5th July, he met the people in
Darma maidan at Contai. In 1934, at Kharagpur, and
fourth time, on 25th December to 29th December,
1945, at Mahisadal, and Sutahata on 30.12.1945, at
Kokra, Irinchi, he stayed at Krishna and Contai from
31.12.1946 to 02.01.1946. Swadeshi Mela was arranged
in these very places, where he came and stepped.
Even today, Ektarpur, a place near Mahisadal, mela
(fair) is still arranged today, which starts for five days
on 25th February of every year in the holy memory of
Gandhiji. Thousands of Hindu and Muslims come from
surrounding villages to attend this fair.
Charak Gajan Melas are arranged in 17 to 18 places
of this district. Among them, most age old is Jhareswar
Charak Gajan Mela of Keshpur P.S. which was
probably initiated 300 years ago. This mela continues
for seven days. Other important fairs of this
category are Kandore at Garbeta, PS, Basanta Roy
of Raskundu, Hajarlinga Shiva of Nayagram, Kedarkunda
fair of Chapaleswar Shiva at Debra. Rashmela
is arranged in several places of this district, which are
arranged on the eve of winter season.
There is a fair, which is held on Loada, under Debra
P.S, the Rath Mela. It continues for two days. Rath Yatra
is held in the full moon day of Chaitra at Keshiary
and arranged by ‘Suddha Bhakti Niketan’. In Medinipur
district, many fairs are arranged to celebrate or
observe the Islamic festivals. Among them, Urs festival
(2-4 Phalgun) in Mianbazar of Medinipur town and
Masnad-e-ala (Hijli) of Khejuri-Boga are very famous.
Fig. 2..7
Fig. 2.8

2.32 PLACES TO VISIT:
Midnapore is located in the midst of many very beautiful
places. So to enjoy the beauty of nature of the
town, we have to travel to other places on its outskirts.
Medinipur district is much enriched in its archaeology.
Pre-historic features of this region can be proved from
its Stone Age evidence, which are collected from the
river-beds of Subarnarekha, Kansavati and Tarapheni.
Khirpai:
Khirpai was a big and famous trading place. Cotton
and handicrafts of this area were exported to foreign
lands. In British periods Khirpai became famous for
indigo plantation. Now it is a small town of 12 sq km
with 11,000 dwellers. Radhamadhab Temple of
Malpara on Ghatal-Khirpai Road is an age old
‘Pancharatna’(ratna means pinnacle) temple where
terracotta works still exist with glory. Khirpai is well
connected by roads/highways with other nearby cities
like Midnapore, Kharagpur, Kolkata, Howrah,Ghatal,
Burdwan, Panskura, Kanthi, Tamluk, Hooghly. For
local transportation bus, taxi, minibus, cycle-rickshaws
are available. Panskura and Chandrakona road railway
stations are two nearest railway stations.
Chandrakona:
Chandrakona Road is 11km north of the Salbani,
Medinipur is 36 km. Gorbeta is 11 km and Bishnupur
36 km from Chandrakona. There is Barduary, ruins of
the fort of the Hindu kings of the past and numerous
temples. 4 km from the Chandrakona Road railway
station, one can reach the Kharagpur-Raniganj connecting
road by auto or taxi to visit tourists’ paradise
Airavat Banabitan. There are toy trains, a rose garden,
bird sanctuary and aquarium in the Banabitan.
Boating can also be arranged here. This flower and
fruit garden is spreaded over 100 acre of land. There
is also an Inspection Bungalow at Chandrakona.
Garbeta
Garbeta is associated with the history of Layek
Revolt, 11km away from Chandrakona on the banks of
river Shilabati, is the red laterite soiled field of Gangani.Garbeta
is on the bank of the Shilabati. Gar in
Bengali means a nullah. The boundary of the earlier
town was surrounded by a small nullah.
Fig. 2.10
Fig. 2.11
(Fig. 2.9)
Cat relaxing in cozy winter day
Photo Credits:
Boudhayan Bardhan
(Fig. 2.10)
Sitalananda Shiva Temple of Khirpai
Image Source:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sitalananda_Shiva_Temple_at_Kshirpai_or_Khirpai_ast_Paschim_Medinipur_district_in_West_Bengal_23.jpg
(Fig. 2.11)
The Crumbling Temples of Chandrakona
Image Source:
hIttps://www.livehistoryindia.com/cover-story/2020/05/04/
the-crumbling-temples-of-chandrakona
Fig. 2.9

2.33 CUISINE:
Midnapore has its particular food culture which people
outside the city do not know about. People have
their own eating styles which is way different from
those living in Kolkata or other parts of the state.
There are many amazing dishes and cooking styles
which have evolved from this place. Some of the
notable ones are “Maacher Tel Jhal” cooked in West
Midnapore and “Macher Tok”, a spicy and tangy dish
prepared by using dried mangoes or raw mangoes
with the fish which is cooked in East Midnapore.
Another famous and very unique dish is the “Posto
Bati” which is very different from the “Posto Bata”
or posto paste (opium seeds) which everyone else
in Bengal knows about. Gohona Bori or Nokshi Bori
demands a bit more illustration as this rare food art is
specific of only Eastern Midnapore. This local art was
celebrated by luminaries like Rabindranath Tagore
to Satyajit Ray and had become the pride of Bengal.
Its production is still restricted to Midnapore and is
available in Kolkata only through only a few cooperative
organizations.
significant fraction of the population of the undivided
district descended from Vaishnavites - the followers
of Shri Chaitanya - although they follow the rituals
and caste system of mainstream Hinduism now. Many
migrated from Orissa and merged to form a unique
Bengali culture. In fact, since the area was part of
Orissa earlier, it is better described as a mix of Bengali
and Oriya culture.
Fig. 2.12
2.34 PEOPLE & LIFESTYLE
(Fig. 2.12)
Little girl posing at camera
Photo Credits:
Loren Joseph
(Fig. 2.13)
Image representation of the Locality
Photo Credits:
Vaishnudebi Dutta
(Fig. 2.14)
West Bengal is best known for the chai
Photo Credits:
Chiranjeeb Mitra
Life, in general, is slow-paced in Midnapore, as a sort
of tribute to the mofussil provincial heart of the town.
Here, in general people are laid-back and friendly.
It is not uncommon for shops to open late and close
during the hours of the afternoon in the hotter months
of the year. Also shops can close for tea and sporting
events such as cricket and World Cup football.
Tea-shops and paan-stalls abound and there is a high
concentration of mishti dokaan (sweet-shops). Here
you can find one of the most famous sweets in Bengal
- ‘Khirayer Jogja’. Adda or Bengali gossip is prevalent
and widely enjoyed. The local dialect of Bengali is
different from standard Kolkata pronunciation and
though not as Oriya-centric as the dialects of Contai
and Dantan, does show minor similarities with Oriya.
Speech is very informal and the talebossho, murdhenoshho,
and dontesho are often pronounced differently
from the standardized West Bengal dialect. A
Fig. 2.13
Fig. 2.14

2.35 DEMOGRAa PHICS
After independence, the district was annexed to West
Bengal and found a place in the Map as the largest
district of the State. On 1st January, 2002, the district
Midnapur was bifurcated into Paschim Midnapore
and Purba Midnapore.
State: West Bengal
Headquarters : Midnapore
Lok Sabha constituencies: Medinipur, Ghatal, Jhargram
(ST) - all have assembly segments in adjoining
districts, Arambagh - with one assembly segment in
the district
Assembly seats: Dantan, Nayagram, Gopiballavpur,
Jhargram, Keshiary, Kharagpur Sadar,
Narayangarh, Sabang, Pingla, Kharagpur, Debra,
Daspur, Ghatal, Chandrakona,
Garbeta, Salboni, Keshpur, Medinipur, Binpur
Midnapore and located between latitude 2257‟10”N
and in the South 2136‟N and Longitude 8012‟4”E and
in the West 8633‟55”E.
2.37 TOPOGRAa PHY:
The soil structure of the district is found light and
medium and in some places heavy types. North
and North-Western part of this district is a part of
Chotanagpur Plateau and covered with hard laterite
stone. In the western and eastern part, laterite Alluvial
soil persists. River water is an important source for
agriculture in the district. The rivers flow from North
to South or South-East direction. The major rivers are
Kangsabati, Shilabati, Kolaghai, Haldi, Rasoolpur,
Subarnarekha, Tamal, Parang and Dulang.
Area: 9,345 km 2 (3,608 sq mi)
Population (2011) : Total 59,43,300
Density: 640/km 2 (1,600/sq mi)
Urban: 11.9 percent
Literacy: 79.04 per cent
Sex ratio: 960
Major highways: NH-6, NH-60
2.36 LOCATION & GEOGRAa PHICAL AREA:
The district of Paschim Midnapore lies in the South
Western corner of the State of West Bengal. It is
bounded by East Singhbhum (Jamshedpur) district of
Jharkhand in the West and by the Mayurbhanj and
Balasore District of Orissa in the south. To its eastern
side is the Purba Midnapore, while the district Bankura
lies to its North. The district‟s Headquarter is at
Fig. 2.16
(Fig. 2.15)
Arranged pieces of Bamboo
Photo Credits:
Abhishek Chakraborty
(Fig. 2.16)
The sound of chirpping bird
Photo Credits:
Anni Gupta
Fig. 2.15

2.38 ECONOMY
The economy of the undivided district, according to
1991 and 2001 census statistics, was overwhelmingly
agrarian. Being a district town, Midnapore functioned
in an ancillary role for the rural district as an administrative
and judicial centre. As such many businesses
and services revolved around this role, which naturally,
has been adversely affected by the division of the
district.
Midnapore still fills this role and has more physicians,
lawyers, teachers, banks, and administrative offices
than any other town in either East or West
Midnapore district. The medical sector is thriving with
the addition of a Medical college and the Vidyasagar
Institute of Health Application. Coaching centres that
assist students enrolled in the regular and
correspondence courses of Vidyasagar University are
also common. Poorer segments of this semi-rural society
are involved in transportation, basic agriculture,
small shops and manual labour for construction work.
The western part of Paschim Medinipur is a part of
the plateau fringe area of Chotonagpur plateau. The
undulating rocky structured landform is not suitable
for agriculture. The north-eastern part belongs to
the flood-prone area during monsoon period. The
industrial development is not found in the district.
As a consequence, the economy of the district is not
developed yet. But the district is very much rich in
multi-diversified tourism resources and also is a very
much potential destination in terms of tourism
development.
Fig. 2.18
(Fig. 2.17)
In a busy day of Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal
Photo Credits:
Piero Regnante
(Fig. 2.18)
Economic livelihood of Paschim Medinipur
Image Source: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ansar_Khan/publication/273708815/figure/fig4/AS:6508714781
69604@1532191261403/Economic-livelihood-index-ELI-is-prepared-based-on-equal-weightage-of-food-grains.png
Fig. 2.17

2.39 SOCIO - CULTURE
Paschim Medinipur is enriched with diversified
socio-cultural activities such as tradition and culture
of tribal groups like Santals, Lodhas, Mundas and
Savars etc. It is situated in the South Western side of
West Bengal. It is bounded by Bankura and Purulia
district in the North, Mayurbhanj and Balasore
districts of Orissa in the South, Hooghly and Purba
Medinipur district in the East and Singhbhum district
of Jharkhand and Purulia district of West Bengal in
West. The district is between 21 o 41 N - 23° 00 Nand
86° 40 E - 87° 52 E. The district consists of 4 Sub-divisions,
27 Police Stations, 29 Community Development
Blocks and 8 Municipalities. The climate is tropical
and the land surface of the district is characterized
by hard rock uplands, lateritic covered area, and flat
alluvial and deltaic plains. Extremely rugged topography
is seen in the western part of the district and
rolling topography is experienced consisting of lateritic
covered area. These rolling plains gradually merge
into flat alluvial and deltaic plains to the east
and south east of the district. The soil is fairly fertile.
Normal rainfall is 1560 mm and average rainfall of
various parts of the district is 1656 mm. The climate is
characterized by hot summer, cold winter, abundant
rainfall and humidity from 1450 mm to 1560 mm per
year.
2.40 GEOGRAA PHY- MAP & TOURISM
The land of Medinipur possesses unique cultural
heritage, ethnic richness, eco-diversity and a number
of glorious phases of history. All these make the land
ideal for creating tourism circuits. Tourism in Paschim
Medinipur can directly and indirectly help in utilizing
the human, natural and historical resources for
• Conservation of heritage sites in scientific manner.
• Promoting awareness about local history and
heritage and thereby helping conservation.
• Developing local infrastructure
• Creating job opportunities and developing local
economy.
2.41 KIND OF TOURISM
Cultural Tourism:
Ghatal: Birsingh
Jungle Mahal: Various sites at Belpahari, Silda,
Jhargram.
Wild Life and Adventure Toursim
Jambani, Nayagram
Garbeta: Gangani
Jungle Mahal: Various sites at Belpahari, Silda,
Jhargram.
Eco-tourism
Gopiballabpur: Forest Bungalows at Hatibari,
Jhilli dam,
Mindapore town: Gopegarh-Gurguripal, the bank of
Kansai
Religious Tourism
Kameshwar Temple and Radhaballav Temple,
Raghunathji Temple, Raghunath Bari, Uriyasaier
Temple
Archaeological Tourism
Keshiary: Kurumbera Fort
Nayagram: Chandrarekha Fort, Khelargarh Fort
Dantan: Moghalmari and other sites
• Promoting advanced researches on the history and
heritage of the areas.
Midnapore: Temples of Karnagarh, Pathra, Well of
the Peer and Akgambuj Masjid(for Muslim pilgrims)
(Fig. 2.19)
Old man reading the local newspaper of the state
Photo Credits:
Gautam Ganguly
(Fig. 2.20)
Tour map of the Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal
Image Source:
http://chitrolekha.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/west_
medinipur_map-copy.jpg
Tourism in West Bengal has always remained a
neglected affair. Again, their conception of Kolkata-is-all
did not allow them to look much beyond
the state capital. Bengalis clang to certain colonial
structures like the Victoria Memorial Hall and the
Howrah Bridge as symbols of high culture. Ideologically
the Left rulers ignored true Bengali heritage
lying about everywhere in West Bengal and even
suppressed researches and discussion of heritage sites,
particularly the religious structure—be it a temple
or a mosque. Only the act of producing silly self-de-
Kharagpur: Temple of Khargeshwar, ancient Jain
temple at Jisar, Manasatala at Jakpur
Jhargram: Kanakdurga Temple
Keshiary: Temples of Sarbamangala, Gaganeshwar,
Kurumbera Fort,
Nayagram: Tapoban, Sahasralinga Temple, the Than
of Kalua Snarh (for tribal and semi-tribal people) etc
Gopiballabpur: Temples famous for its association with
Chaitanya-Vaishnavism, Rameswarnath Temple,
Fig. 2.19 Fig. 2.20

2.42 CLIMATIC CONDITIONS
Midnapore experiences all the three seasons- winter,
summer and monsoon. Best time to visit is during
winters when the temperatures remain pleasant. The
months of December, January and February are good
for outdoor activities. Winter in Midnapore starts
in December and lasts till February. Temperatures
remain comfortable during the day time, while night
temperatures sometimes drop below 10⁰C. Midnapore
witnesses a hot summer, from March to June. Maximum
temperatures at times may settle in the early
forties, making it uncomfortable for the visitors. The
average day temperature in Midnapore remains in
the higher thirties during these months. Midnapore
experiences good amounts of rain during the monsoon
season that persists from June to September. Light
cotton wear is good if you visit Midnapore during the
monsoon season. Paddy fields present a very good site
during the monsoon months.
(Fig. 2.21)
Monsson weather in Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal
Photo Credits:
Chiranjeeb Mitra
Fig. 2.21

Fig. 3.1
3. N A Y A, P I N G L A

3.1 ABOUT THE VILLAGE
Naya, a small village in the Pingla block of West Midnapore
district of West Bengal comprising of Bengali
artisans named Potuas alias Chitrakars
(picture makers) specializing in creation of painted
narrative scrolls is getting famous. It is a relatively
new village, near about 100 years old & is one of
many that have sprung up on the Debrah - Mayna
‘highway’. The word ‘Naya’ is pronounced ‘Noya’ in
Bengali for ‘New’. As per the ‘Patuas’, a man had arrived
and started his work life here around 100 years
back then, and after which other people followed him
to this newly formed place and, hence; this place was
named ‘Naya’ by these people called ‘Patuas’, who
paint tales from Mangalkavyas (narratives of Hindu
Bengali religious Text), Hindu Epic Ramayana and
Mahabharata, even incidents like 9/11 attack, Tsunami
and social messages on long canvas fixed on scrolls
of cloth and sing them as they unfold the scrolls. The
Potuas have their own songs written by them. These
songs are known as Poter Gaan.
of our village had left the painting and started doing
other small businesses. But four or five years ago,
when Patachitra gained popularity, and the sale of it
increased, they came back.” According to Bapi Chitrakar,
“It is compulsory for them to paint Pata as they
belong to the families of Patuas. It’s yet not that developed,
though one can manage to live there with all
those basic needs. According to Bahadur Chitrakar,
the pucca roads were made 6 years back from now, &
electricity was brought few years back in Naya. It’s an
agricultural village with lots of crop fields and cattle.
The tropical climate gives the region a diversity in
growing rich flora & fauna. The total area is around
900 acres giving life to more than 500 families.
Since 2004, banglanatak dot com has been working
with the Patuas to bring life to this dying art
form. Since 2010, a three day festival at the end of
November named Pot Maya has been held at this
village ‘Naya’, where the artworks are being displayed
with narratives. Usually it takes place during the end
of November. With the support of NGO banglanatak
dot com and the European Union, the narrative scrolls
have found new markets and new audiences.
Naya is home to around 250 Patuas or Chitrakaars,
a unique community of folk artists who are painters,
lyricists, singers and performers all rolled into one. The
elders make it compulsory for teenagers to continue
drawing Pata. According to artists like Bapi Chitrakar
and Rani Chitrakar, “A few years ago some members
3
Fig. 3.3
(Fig. 3.1)
Coconut tree standing in between the homes of the
chitrakars has been the constant observer of thier brilliant
art
(Fig. 3.2)
Lifestyle of the villagers capturing the cheap mode of transport
and their home.
(Fig. 3.3)
Signages indicating the name of the village ‘Naya’, locally
called ‘Noya’ by the people.
Fig. 3.2
1
One of the art captured at Naya, Pingla
1

3.2 LOCATION & MAP
Fig. 3.4 Fig. 3.5
‘Naya’ is a village of scroll painters commonly known
as patuas or chitrakars (artisan class) in Pingla of the
district of Paschim Medinipur. Historical evidences of
chitrakars or scroll painters are found in many ancient
texts such as Kautylia’s Arthashastra, Patanjali’s Mahabhasya,
Banabhatta’s Harshacharita and Buddhist
text Aryamanjushreemulakalpa etc. According to
Brahma Vaibarta Purana during the reigns of Pala
and Sena the folk painters (Chitrakars) did not follow
the traditional method of painting (Shastriya riti).
As a result of that they were enlisted in the group of
Nabasakh. This art has been practised since thousand
years ago. In the process of historical development
this rural artisan class inherit both Hindu and Islamic
ritualistic cultural phenomenon on their style of living.
They are very poor and marginal class. After independence
the Government of India has tried to uplift the
position of rural artisan class all over India through
different projects under the Ministry of Handicrafts.
Department of Micro and Small Scale Enterprises
and Textiles was also formed in West Bengal in late
1950‟s.
Fig. 3.8
Fig. 3.6 Fig. 3.7
During the period of Turk- Afgan social and political
exploitation by the Brahaminical society forced
them to take Islam. They created Gaazipata3 for the
spread of Islam. So, they assimilated both Hindu and
Islamic culture for their styles. This kind of common
style of living is reflected in their birth, marriage and
death ceremonial functions. So this rural artisan class
of the said village inherit both Hindu and Islamic ritualistic
cultural phenomenon in their style of living. Still
now they are not included in the Hindu society. They
are very poor and marginal. After 1999 some steps
have been taken by the Union Government of India
for economic development of patuas of West Bengal
including Naya. One of the major steps is formation
of Self Help groups (SHGs). In spite of those they
have tried their best to develop their economic condition
through Self Help Groups (SHGs). In this process
both Central and State Governments and different
NGOs namely Bangla Natak.Com have extended
their helping hands towards them.
(Fig. 3.4) Kids of the Chitrakars
(Fig. 3.5) Livelihood of the Village
(Fig. 3.6) Chitakars educating thier kids about patas
(Fig. 3.7) Sarees with the composition are hanged for drying
up
(Fig. 3.8)
Map of the Village
Image Source:
http://www.midnapore.in/festival/potmaya/patua-village-map.html

3.3 TRAA NSPORT - HOW TO REACH
While I was doing my Bachelors of Design from NIFT
Kolkata, I have been aware of the village of Naya
and the kind of exhibitions and festival which has
been attracting students and national/international
visitors since its inception. However this year was the
first time when I visited the village and unfortunately
had to leave just three days before the begining of
the festival.
I started my journey from Howrah Station to
Balichak. After a two hour journey from Howrah, I
reached Balichak around 12:30 pm in the afternoon.
There were local buses available to the village, but
avoiding the crowd I chose to ride on a cab to save
time and keeping the safety of my luggage as priority.
The journey should be actually of 50-55 minutes
minutes, but the cab took around 40 minutes as there
were no much vechiles on the road. On the way to
the village of the patuas, Naya is quite bad. Besides,
vechiles were in the route are less. I guess, that is why
many visit the place by their own vehicles or co-ordinates
with representatives of banglanatok dot com to
arrange for conveyance.
I reached Naya around 2:00 pm. The village was all
painted with beautiful artworks everywhere I was looking,
right from the houses to the clothes. Painters were
busy in their work. They had their names and phone
number imprinted even on their house walls along
beautiful designs. They were smiling and looking jolly,
I stayed with the host family for around 10 days. I did
my registartion through one of my friend Soumita
Thakur, who’s one of the volunteer working with the
NGO banglanatakdotcom. It included all the services
of my stay includes fooding and accomodation. In 10
days of stay I got myself introduced to a lot of kinds
of people, things, art and materials and how to make
the most out of the least resources, which is beyond
beautiful. I have bought a few of those beautiful
artworks which I find one of kind, done by Bahadur
Chitrakar & Bapi Chitrakar. It was a pleasent
experience. Besides, all this I have made genuine
friends from a different region of the nation. On the
last day, when I was leaving back to college, I went to
meet up & to thank them for giving time in my field
study. It was a refreshing and reviving journey through
the vigorous beauty of rural Bengal.
Accomodation & Food:
Naya is an fun and educational trip. Arrangements
are there for food and stay in guest house if
registering from the banglanatakdotcom or even
we can stay with the host family. Toilets and clean
drinking water available. Hot cooked Indian food and
mineral water are available throughout the day.
How to Reach:
Reach Balichak from Howrah by a local train, then
30 - 40 minutes by road. If not comfortable in the
shared bus, one can book a cab for pick up and
drop. A round trip costs about Rs 500 – Rs 600.
Shared cab charge Rs 10 for one way fare.
(Fig. 3.9)
At Balichak Railway Station, reaching after almost two and
a half hrs of journey by local train.
Fig. 3.9
One of the art captured at Naya, Pingla

3.4 CULTURE & BELIEFS
The village ‘Naya’ where each & every house wall
is a canvas and everyone practices ‘patachitra’, the
ancient folk art. Besides making the artwork, they also
sing as they unfurl the scroll and show their artpiece
to the audience. This diverse repertoire of art tells
stories that range from traditional mythological
or tribal tales to modern Indian history and even
contemporary subjects. The village is a predominantly
Muslim settlement, there are a number of Hindu
artists as well. Living together in harmony, no one is
recognised by their religion, but by their work and
the suffix of “chitrakar” after their first name. They are
rather fond of the adage “Na Hindu na Musalman”
(neither Hindu nor Muslim). It won’t be surprising to
find a Muslim chitrakar painting a depiction of Hindu
lore or vice versa.
The art of Patachitra is not just the way of expression
of the artisans but also a part of their soul and
identity. It’s even more fascinating, that how the art
has evolved with time and emerged as an epitome
of a secular culture. The way how they travel globally
to not only exhibit but also train students in various
universities, how they collaborate with artists visiting
them and engage in art residencies, and how it has
been turned into a regular tourist destination. Even
the colours used for the scroll paintings are nature
friendly, made from flowers, herbs and natural products.
They also compose songs to narrate the story.
While the drawings are rustic, they are true to detail
both in terms of content and style. Chitrakar community
from Paschim Medinipur in West Bengal are not
only custodians of the traditional art form but also
that of a legacy that speaks volumes about interreligious
dialogue. Although they have been traditionally
painting and narrating tales about Hindu gods and
goddesses, they are followers of Islam. However,
religion has never been a taboo either for them or
their Hindu spectators. In the olden days, Hindu
homes would invite them to listen to their narration of
religious tales through painted scrolls, both as a part
of merit making and for entertainment. The main motive
of the Chitrakaras is to spread awareness about
harmony through cultural diversity. India, with its rich
heritage, has many religious, social and cultural traditions,
which speak volumes about dialogue between
communities based on understanding, respect and
dignity.
Fig. 3.11
(Fig. 3.10)
Entrance of the host family, ‘Bahadur Chitrakar’ where he
has dipected the art of storytelling on different subjects.
(Fig. 3.11)
In conversation with ‘Rupsona Chitrakar’ daughter of ‘
Bahadur Chitrakar’ about the place lifestyle, culture and
beliefs of the ‘Patuas’ with the folk art
Fig. 3.10
One of the art captured at Naya, Pingla

4. P A T A C H I T R A
(বাংলার পটচিত্র)

4.1 ORIGIN - THE ART OF VISUAL STORYTELLING
‘Pata’ painting is one kind of folk art because it is
produced by patuas or chitrakars or scroll painters
who do not have any so called academic training.
Pattachitra is an ancient folk art of Odisha and
Bengal. The word ‘Pata’ is derived from the Sanskrit
word Patta which means “a piece of cloth”. Pata or
pot as pronounced in Bengali means a canvas on
which picture/illustrations are made. The artists are
called ”Patuas”. Patuas do not just paint, they also
sing as they unfurl the painting scroll to show it to the
audience. They inherit their skills from their ancestors.
Now a days patua sangeets of Bengal play an
important role in the world of oral, traditional folk
music and painting. Singing songs with the narrative
art from West Bengal has its unique features. These
songs are known as ”Pater Gaan”. The songs are of
wide variety ranging from traditional mythological
tales and tribal rituals to stories based on modern
Indian history. Patuas generally use natural colours,
which they procure from various trees, leaves, flowers
and clays. This tradition dates back to thousand
years and today it is gaining international recognition
through modern technology. Patuas not only make
paints, they also sing in the period of exhibition of
Pata. When they display their paintings to the audience
they used song or words in a pitch, by which they
tell a story, which has a relation with the concerned
Patachitra Patuas or Chitrakars are common words in
the districts of Purba & Paschim Medinipur of West
Bengal. There are many patua settlements in both
the districts. The most important patua settlement
is Naya, Pingla in the district of Paschim Medinipur.
These scroll painters or patuas or chitrakars are
artisan classes in the context of Indian society. It has
been opined by some researchers that pata painting
or scroll painting has originally come from an art
form of the Santhal or tribal community. After Muslim
invasion in Bengal the patuas or chitrakars became
the followers of Islam. So, most of them practise both
Hindu and Muslim cultures and rituals in their daily
life and, therefore, they become a marginal community
in the context of Indian society. They are very poor
also. After independence the Government of India has
taken many schemes under the Ministry of Handicrafts
for upliftment of economic condition of rural
artisan class including patua or chitrakar community
(artisan class).
According to the Brahmabaivartha Purana, one of the
nine sons of Lord Viswakarma and his wife Ghritachi,
the Chitrakars were cursed and excluded by the angry
Brahmins due to their (pata painters’) vulgar and
erroneous portraying of Hindu gods and goddesses.
Suhrid K. Bhowmik in the very first chapter titled ‘In
Search of Origins’ of the groundbreaking book Patuas
and Patua Art in Bengal, jointly published with David
J. McCutchion, very minutely observes that:
Nowadays the Chitrakars oscillate between being
neither rejected nor totally accepted by the Hindus
(McCutchion & Bhowmik 11).
In late 1950’s Department of Micro and Small Scale
Enterprises and Textiles was also formed in West Bengal
and District Industrial Centre was also opened in
every district of West Bengal including Paschim Medinipur.
Then, Self Help Groups (SHGs) were formed in
the famous patua settlement, Naya, under
Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) and
it improved the economic condition of patuas. Activities
of Self Help Groups, State and Central Governments,
the growing retail industry and new urban
customers have increased the income opportunities of
the artisan communities. These paintings are based on
Hindu mythology and specially inspired by Jagannath
and Vaishnava sect. It is appreciated by art lovers
all over the world for its effortless style of drawings,
colours, lines and space usage. The best work is found
in and around Puri, especially in the village of
Raghurajpur in Odisha and Naya in Paschim
Medinipur, West Bengal.
(Fig. 4.1)
Entrance of the host family, ‘Bahadur Chitrakar’ where his
daughter ‘Rupsona Chitrakar’ explaining me the initiation of
the ancient folk art.
Fig. 4.1

4.2 BACKGROUND
The patuas were primarily wandering artists who
would travel from place to place with painted scrolls
of various deities. Though their exact date of origin
as a profession is not known, yet from various oral
lores and oral traditions they can be estimated to
have begun as a profession from around 10th -11th
century AD in Bengal. Patuas frequent the homes of
rich people (zamindars and landlords), display the
scrolls and narrate the different stories of thedeities
and in return would then be rewarded with cash or
kind or both in the form of grains, food and clothes.
They would be invited on special occasions to narrate
the stories pertaining to that specific deity whose puja
or worship is being performed. This performance was
also considered sacrosanct by the spectators and they
would be sitting humble silence to listen to the patua’s
narration. The narration would include stories from local
lore and local Purana (especially reflected through
the three Mangal Kavyas - the Manasa Mangal
Kavya, Chandi Mangal Kavya and Dharma Mangal
Kavya) to the mostpopular story from Indian mythology.
The displaying of the painting orthe scroll or the
pat would be referred to as pat khelano (playing with
the pata) and the songs were referred to as pater
gaan (the song of the pata). From the colonial period
onward, the singers’ repertoires have tended away
from medieval religious motifs, and toward contemporary
secular themes. By becoming “modern” in the
twentieth century, the Patuas were able to provide
local and national news in addition to religious
instruction and en-tertainment. In the 1930s, for
example, Patuas picked up on a sensational is tragedy
that occurred in Cooch Behar. The story came to be
known as”pitakartrik putravaddha” (“Father Induced
Sibling Murder”), in which a father caused one of his
sons to kill a second son when the plot was actually
intended to kill the son-in-law. Such historical accounts
were embellished intypically journalistic fashion to
keep people interested and listening. Another common
theme that hinted at modernity’s impact on the trade
was that of the spoiled wife, seeking divorce while
wishing for British products such asshoes, soap, and
spectacles. As chromolithographs flooded the market
following their introduction in the 1870s, the visual
dimension of the Patuas’art soon began losing its
appeal. People still enjoyed hearing the songs, but
the Patuas’ painting style looked dull in comparison to
the brightly coloredprints. Later, the cinema accelerated
the erosion of the patronage base thathad
always been the economic backbone and justification
for this performance genre. Nowadays, rectangular,
single-framed pats are painted primarily for sale.
Patuas did not originally sell scroll paintings, but used
the pats as propsfor their singing performances. As
the demand for sung performances has decreased
in modern times, however, the Patuas have taken to
selling the scrolls instead of the songs.
Kalighat, which is situated in Kolkata, is famous for
the temple of Goddess Kali. This temple was founded
in the year 1798. According to Hindu mythology the
little finger of right leg of the Goddess Sati (wife of
God Shiva) had fallen here. Kalighat patas were the
unique invention of the Bengal patuas, bright colours,
simplicity and rhythmic lines are the basic characters
of these paintings. Over the flat colour this highly
prominent bold black contour creates a contrast
feeling in the composition Kalighat painting. This
emerged in 19th century, centered around the Kali
Temple of Kalighat. Earlier sources may be traced
back to Ajanta, illuminated manuscript of Pala era,
Mughal, Rajput style.
(Fig. 4.2)
Goddess Durga pat in Making
Fig. 4.2

medieval India. The patuas of Kalighat mainly came
from different districts of Bengal such as Bardhaman,
Birbhum, Nadia, Bankura,Medinipur.
The Kalighat School was an agreeable and unique
blend of two different stylesof painting — the Oriental
and the Occidental — and steadily gained popularity.
There are six type of Pata may be distinguished
in the history of Ka-lighta Pata: Musk of the God
and Goddess, Images of the God and Goddesson
the body of clay made pot, called Sara, Satirical
Picture, Household Pictures, Religious and Mythological
Pata. Among the deities that the Kalighat artists
painted, the goddess Kali was a favorite. Images of
Durga, Lakshmi,and Annapurna were also popular,
especially during the Durga Puja festival. Shiva in the
form of Panchanan or sitting along with Parvati on
Nandior carrying Sati, Lakshmi herself or in the form
of Gajalakshmi or Chandi as Kamalekamini, Durga
as Mahishasur mardini, and other gods and goddesses
like Kartikeya, Ganesha, Saraswati, Jagadhatri,
Sita-Rama and the exploits of Hanuman all were the
popular themes of Kalighat paintings.
known as the sahib pat (“foreigner scroll”), which emphasized
the cruel oppression of the colonialists. Such
scrolls often ended with an Indian freedom fighter
being hanged for alleged crimes against the Raj. The
Patuas thus disseminated both religious lore and their
own form of journalism to rural Bengali audiences. In
modern times, a gradual decline in patronage
has forced the Patuas to seek out new venues to
market their caste occupation. The Patuas of Naya
village make effective use of eco-friendly colours by
collecting them from leaves, fruits, flowers, plants,
trees and other natural elements. Saffron is
extracted from Lotkon leaves, blue from Aparajita
flowers, brown from Segun tree, yellow from turmeric,
black from charcoal, green from Seem or Babal tree,
white from Ghusum Mati etc. They like to use bright
colours on the pata by applying bold brush strokes for
sending their aesthetic appeal effectively.
(Fig. 4.3)
Painted houses of the patuas.
(Fig. 4.4)
Life revolving and evolving around the folk art, capturing the
lifestyle of the artisans
Although patachitra is a creation of patua classes
of painter or chitrakaraof Calcutta but the largest
number came from Midnapur. Historically, mostof
the Midnapur patuas moved from Kalighat in the
colonial period, due toextreme hardship faced in city
life. During 1986-87 situation was unbearable. These
people came to Midnapur and started working under
the nameof ”Chitrakar”, which is a respectable name
for ”patua” , who were basicallycoming from lower
casts of the society. Traditionally, they wandered from
village to village with a sack of painted narrative
scrolls (pats) on their back. Upon arrival in a village,
they sought out patrons who paid them for their
performances that accompanied the unraveling of
scrolls. The songs were byand large about Hindu gods
and goddesses as well as Muslim saints. But they
also sang about themes that pertained to the social
circumstances of the times. During the British colonial
period, for example, Patuas would sing what was
Fig. 4.3
Fig. 4.4

4.3 HISTORY
When we talk about this ancient folk art of India that
has withstood many centuries of various social and
religious upheavals and continue to be an important
part of the country’s intangible folk heritage is the
Patachitra. The patachitra or scroll painting is an
essential part of eastern India’s religious and cultural
scenarios, where a traditional art was combined with
narratives and songs, thus turning it into a performative
art. This process of combining art with narratives
and songs, that gave patachitra its unique identity,
is seen in West Bengal, Odisha, and in some parts of
Bihar and Jharkhand. From the ancient times
patachitra has provided a platform to many rural
bards or wandering artists to communicate and give
out visual messages through painted scrolls, and
recite stories from the epics and puranas following the
age-old oral traditions, which included narratives and
music. This way patachitras helped to teach common
villagers about the prevalent religious and cultural
traditions, while also preserving various ancient stories,
folklores, and traditions; thus, providing us with a
beautifully preserved historical narrative, documented
through song, stories, and paintings. Not only did the
patachitras preserve stories of the various social and
political changes and shifting religious narratives,
they also documented a largely voiceless section of
our history; the unheard stories of the common man.
The scrolls or patachitras, which were hand-painted
on palm leaves, handmade paper, or clothes, were
long narratives that often stretched to more than 20
feet. Sometimes the paintings were made on scrolled
clothes, and these were known as jorano patas. In a
patachitra, each section was referred to as a pata,
and the travelling patuas would roll open the scrolls
singing one pata at a time. During a show the patuas
would set their colourful scrolls, slowly unfolding one
pata at a time as the narrative went (stories from
Chandi Mangal, Manasa Mangal, Ramayan, etc.),
and singing songs in praises of the deity being worshipped,
as the overwhelmed mostly illiterate peasant
folks saw and learned about their religious and
cultural practices.
Pattachitra has been mentioned in Puranas, Epics,
Ancient Literatures and Historical Descriptions. The
style of painting is similar to the cave paintingsof
Mohenjodaro, Harappa and Ajanta . ‘Patuas’ and
‘Chitrakars’ have beenreferred to in literary works dating
back to more then 2500 years. Some researchers
opine that ‘Patashilpa’ was originally an art from of
the Santhals(tribal community). It was popular among
Hindu tribes like Santhals, Hos, Munda, Juangs and
Kherias who painted ‘Pattachitras’ depicting the birth
of their first ancestors Pilchu Haram and Pilchu Burhi;
how they had sevensons and seven daughters and
how these seven brothers were married to their sisters.
With the growing influence of Buddhism, the Patuas
embraced the faith. Though many folk art forms –
which are our intangible heritage, are dying with the
emergence of electronic media, there is one art form
which was dying even few years back, has made a
remarkable comeback. One such art form is Patachitra.
The Patuas of West Bengal are specializing in the
production of painted narrative scrolls of cloth and
the performance of songs to accompany their unrolling
- that are comparable to movies – with a series
of framed images that form narratives as diverse as
ancient Hindu myths and current events. Not only do
these inspired individuals paint their scrolls, they also
compose a song for each story they illustrate. In short
they are a unique tribe of folk artistes who are painters,
lyricists, singers and performers rolled into one. (Fig. 4.5)
Painted cart wheels and articles highlighting the facts about
the history of the Craft
Fig. 4.5

medieval India. The patuas of Kalighat mainly came
from different districts of Bengal such as Bardhaman,
Birbhum, Nadia, Bankura,Medinipur.
The Kalighat School was an agreeable and unique
blend of two different stylesof painting — the Oriental
and the Occidental — and steadily gained popularity.
There are six type of Pata may be distinguished in
the history of Kalighta Pata: Musk of the God and
Goddess, Images of the God and Goddesson the
body of clay made pot, called Sara, Satirical Picture,
Household Pictures, Religious and Mythological Pata.
Among the deities that the Kalighat artists painted,
the goddess Kali was a favorite. Images of Durga,
Lakshmi,and Annapurna were also popular, especially
during the Durga Puja festival. Shiva in the form of
Panchanan or sitting along with Parvati on Nandior
carrying Sati, Lakshmi herself or in the form of
Gajalakshmi or Chandi as Kamalekamini, Durga as
Mahishasur mardini, and other gods and goddesses
like Kartikeya, Ganesha, Saraswati, Jagadhatri,
Sita-Rama and the exploitsof Hanuman all were the
popular themes of Kalighat paintings.
was known as the sahib pat (“foreigner scroll”), which
emphasized thecruel oppression of the colonialists.
Such scrolls often ended with an Indian freedom
fighter being hanged for alleged crimes against the
Raj. The Patuas thus disseminated both religious lore
and their own form of journalism to rural Bengali
audiences. In modern times, a gradual decline in
patronage hasforced the Patuas to seek out new
venues to market their caste occupation. The Patuas
of Naya village make effective use of eco-friendly
colours by collecting them from leaves, fruits, flowers,
plants, trees and other natural elements. Saffron is
extracted from Lotkon leaves, blue from Aparajita
flowers, brown from Segun tree, yellow from turmeric,
black from charcoal, greenfrom Seem or Babal tree,
white from Ghusum Mati etc. They like to usebright
colours on the pata by applying bold brush strokes for
sending their aesthetic appeal effectively.
(Fig. 4.6)
Goddess Durga ‘Chandi’ and illustration about her all
avatars narrative is in making.
Although patachitra is a creation of patua classes
of painter or chitrakara of Calcutta but the largest
number came from Midnapur. Historically, most of
the Midnapur patuas moved from Kalighat in the
colonial period, due to extreme hardship faced in city
life. During 1986-87 situation was unbearable. These
people came to Midnapur and started working under
the name of ”Chitrakar”, which is a respectable name
for ”patua”, who were basically coming from lower
casts of the society. Traditionally, they wandered from
village to village with a sack of painted narrative
scrolls (pats) on their back. Upon arrival in a village,
they sought out patrons who paid them for their
performances that accompanied the unraveling of
scrolls. The songs were byand large about Hindu gods
and goddesses as well as Muslim saints. But they
also sang about themes that pertained to the social
circumstances of the times. During the British
colonial period, for example, Patuas would sing what
Fig. 4.6

4.4 MAJOR ASPECTS
The thematic content of the ‘Patuas’ has always been
moralistic, covering sacred and secular themes as well
as current affairs.The cult of Gazi Pir in South Bengal
reflects not only the dual Hindu/Muslim background
of the Patuas, but also the interaction between the
sacred and the secular intheir songs. Gazi Pir’s complex
narrative addresses the socio-religious issue of
Hindu-Muslim interaction and contains a secular aside
about a mischievous and suggestively promiscuous
woman, which voices final concerns about the moral
repercussions that a “fallen one” of her sort might face
in the under-world after death. The woman’s brash
behavior is implied to be indicative of the “modern”
(i.e., colonial) influences on Indian women. For their
themes the patuas depended traditionally on the
Palas from Ramayana, Manasa-Mangala,
Behula-Lakhindar etc. One such patachitra by
Jamuna Chitrakar depicts the stories circulated in
oral and written form involving the conflict between
goddess Manasa and Chand Sadagar, which is also
indirectly the conflict of Gods of upper and lower
cast. It is also reported that during the Mughal rule,
some of the artists embraced Islam and began new
tradition in storytelling. Thus, the unioon of different
religion was possible through this art form. Also the
Potuas of Bengal played a major role in popularizing
the epics, myths and legends in their own way, thereby
educating the mass indirectly. Artists of Naya Village
: Traditionally, patuas were men, who were assisted by
their women folk in several stages; but in recent times
women have come forward to lay their claim as patta
artists. For instance, Patua artist Moyna Chitrakar, of
Nirbhaypur village in Paschim Midnapore has done
the illustration for the graphic novel Sita’s Ramayana
by Samhita Arni, a Bengaluru-based writer. Robin
Chitrakar is one such painter from Naya village, who
is the only graduate of the village. Another famous
Patua, Anwar, won the President’s award in 2006.
There are artists like Anwar Chitrakar who has
managed to sell one of his paintings to the Delhi
Metro Rail Corporation for Rs 80,000. Anwar, whose
paintings have been showcased at the Harley Gallery
in the United Kingdom, recently released a graphic
novel about a thousand Kalighat paintings. “Initially I
used to sell an 8 by 12 inches painting for Rs 100-150
a piece butnow I sell them for Rs 800 a piece on an
average. I have also sold paintingsfor Rs 75,000 to
Rs 85,000 a piece depending upon the size of the
painting,”says Anwar.
As various NGO’s and guilds make use of the folkart,
governmental efforts also aid the process and
sometimes even get benefited in the process. Thus the
Tourism Department section of West Bengal mentions
the districts of residence of the patuas as important
tourist destinations from where one can aesthetically
be enriched by an important colour of Bengal-highlighting
the three - day long Pot Maya festival,
especially held in the district of west Medinipur
(Naya, Pingla village of West Medinipur, especially
for “artists, aficionados and novices to interact with
the artists andlearn more about the unique tradition
of making natural colours from veg-etables,fruits and
flowers and even painting Patachitra through workshops”.
Started in 2010, ”Pot Maya” (the Pattachitra
festival) receives a footfall of approximately 5,000
each year and is open to all. In fact in Naya there is
a Community Museum.
Since 2004, banglanatak.com NGO is working with
230 Patuas to rejuvenate the dying art form. The
Patuas have learned to make diverse products using
their painting skills. They are also using their art from
as tool for social communication. The art form has
(Fig. 4.7)
Besides the pat, chitrakars also work on sarees and other
product materials
Fig. 4.7

become a means of livelihood. This has led to
reduction of poverty and most importantly empowerment
of the women in thecommunity. The Eastern
Zonal Cultural Centre (with support of Ministry of
Rural Development) supported capacity building
and promotional activitiesduring 2005-2009. Today
young people are learning the art from their living-
Gurus. Project Ethno-magic Going Global (EGG), an
ongoing initiative bybanglanatak dot com supported
by the European Union has facilitated in-teraction
between Patuas and Contemporary painters and new
media artistsfrom Europe . Health insurance has been
provided to the artists and their families. Resource
centre is being developed at Pingla. It is an output
of banglanatak’s ongoing Project Ethnomagic Going
Global (EGG) supported by the European Union.
Fig. 4.9
Fig. 3.40
(Fig. 4.8)
Besides the pata, houses walls and pillars are also beautifully
showcased by the Patuas
(Fig. 4.9)
Radha Krishna work by Rupsona Chitrakar
(Fig. 4.10)
Inside view of the house of host family, where they have a set
up of every kind of work they do.
(Fig. 4.11)
Inside view of the house of host family, where they have a set
up of every kind of work they do.
Fig. 4.8
Fig. 4.10
Fig. 4.11

4.5 MAJOR PROBLEMS
• The artists are not willing to prepare the colours
from the natural in-gredients as it is a tedious process.
Now the synthetic colours (bottled posture colour)
available in the bazaar are used. Even the new
gener-ation of artists don’t know the preparation of
colours.
• Due to the current engagement of different castes
of Chitrakars, there is crisis in purity in line of heritage
of the Patuas. Grad-ually production has come to
exceed demand. As a result, compe-tition has developed
between artisans, both within and outside
theChitrakara, and middlemen have become involved,
often to the disad-vantage of the artisans
• The artisans aspire to have long-term economic
stability in their life i.e. in terms of infow of capital,
savings, and meeting expenses for a better life. It is
an unsolved quest with facilities giver to cover the
artisans, who are still in the last ladder to get into the
total coverage of financial inclusion.
Fig. 4.14
Fig. 4.13
Fig. 4.15
(Fig. 4.12)
Resource Centre Building
(Fig. 4.13)
Lifestyle of Patuas
(Fig. 4.14)
Natural Colors
(Fig. 4.15)
Kid of Chirakar posing for the camera
Fig. 4.12

4.6 TRAA CING THE CULTURE OF THE CRAA FT
Evolving of time and choices has opened a wide door
for the marketing of the paintings. Modem communications
means being able to sell them easily in more
remote places, as well as obtaining market information
through the mass media. Both the union and
state governments have aided marketing by organizing
various exhibition-cum-sales programmes, both
inside and outside the state,sponsoring artisans to go
to different exhibitions outside the state, procuringproducts
from artisans and selling them to outsiders,
and organizing co-operative societies both at block
and district levels. The change in the trendof production
and use has also influenced the marketing of the
paintings byincreasing both the extent of the market
and price levels.
Previously the villagers used to move regularly to the
forest to collectraw materials for te making of the
Patta. But nowadays canvases donot always have to
be prepared at home, as they are available in themarket
or from other artisans. They can avail it from
local market individually, not in groups, at their own
convenience.
make painting to be sold to customers. Traditionally
primed paper was used only for jatripattis, butnowadays
paper bases are used in a different way.
Painting is doneon sheets of different sizes in the form
of greeting cards and invitationcards, which have a
great demand and value in the modem market.Large
pieces of cardboard are also painted for use in fashionable
hotelsand restaurants as decorative partitions.
Fig. 4.18
The production process has not changed in the
number of stages but there is a change in the natural
ingredients used. Today old cotton cloth sari is used to
Fig. 4.17
Fig. 4.19
(Fig. 4.16)
Family of Bapi Chitrakar
(Fig. 4.17)
Goddess Kali
(Fig. 4.18)
Suman Chitrakar with her daughter
(Fig. 4.19)
Family of Bapi Chitrakar
Fig. 4.16

4.7 NGO’S ASSOCIATED WITH THE CRAa FT
Banglanatak Dot Com was established in 2000 by a
group of people from diverse backgrounds - engineering,
sociology, media, fine arts, literature, economics
and theatre. The organization works across India for
fostering community led development using culture
based approaches. Key areas of work are Communication
for Development (C4D), and development of
community-based enterprise offering products and
services based on heritage skills in performance arts
and crafts. The organization’s motto is “To preserve
art, let the artists survive”.
Banglanatak Dot Com is an accredited NGO for
providing advisory services to the intangible cultural
heritage committee of UNESCO, Paris 2010. It is
involved in promotion and preservation of ICH like
Chhau Dance, Jhumur, Baul and Fakiri, Patachitra,
Gambhira and Domni. The organisation works around
the areas of Purulia, Bankura where the Chhau dance
is practised. In Nadia and Mushidabad, it works for
the promotion of Baul and Fakiri. Conservation of the
Patachitra technique is its priority in East and West
Midnapur, while in Malda, the efforts are towards
conservation of Gambhira and Domni.
the community centres for practising the art as well as
for promoting heritage tourism. Even as performing
arts and folk traditions remain invaluable intangible
cultural heritage of communities all across, many are
diminishing owing to rapid changes in the socio-cultural
fabric of the world. Safeguarding efforts by local
governments, international bodies such as UNESCO
and various non-governmental organisations can go a
long way in keeping alive traditions through time.
The patua community in West Bengal has come
under such initiatives by the Government of West
Bengal, and NGO Banglanatak.com, which has also
collaborated with bodies from the European Union
in the past. Projects like Ethnomagic Going Global
a few years ago and the government’s push to gain
Geographical Indication tag for many rural crafts
and arts, including patachitra paintings, gives hope to
keep this lively folk tradition alive. The curious and enthusiastic
lovers of art now await the Pot Maya, held
annually since 2010 in the month of November, in the
Naya village, a festive gathering where the ancient
folk art performance enthrals all.
(Fig. 4.20)
Crafts and art villages under the NGO
Fig. 4.20
The organization has conducted studies and published
two documentary films named Pater Panchali (on patachitra)
and A Journey of Jhumur (on Jhumur songs
and dance). CDs of Darbari Jhumur songs, Pater gan
(storytelling through songs), Jhumur gan of Bankura
and Baul – Fakiri gaan of Nadia have been developed.
Folk festivals are organized regularly at local,
state, regional, national and international levels. To
experiment with new marketing strategies and create
new targets, youth festivals are also organized in
schools and colleges. In six districts of their outreach,
folk art hubs have been established which serve as
Fig. 4.21
(Fig. 4.21)
Logo of the NGO banglanatak dot com

4.8 METHODOLOGY
The preparation of the handmade Patta or Patti
(canvas) is an extremely laborious task, for which
Chitrakaras use two layers of old cotton saris locallysourced
from old cloth seller. The process of painting
Patachitra begins with the preparation of canvas.
Traditionally cotton canvas was used but now both
cotton and silk canvas are used for paintings. They
use old used sareesor cotton cloth for making canvas,
as it is much softer and free from starchun like the
new cotton from the mill. Processing of cotton canvas
is a tedious task which starts from dipping of cotton
in a solution of crushed imli seeds and water for 4-5
days .The cloth is then taken out and sun dried. In the
late nineteenth century, the canvas was prepared by
smearing it with the mixtureof cow dung and black
earth.
Thereafter, the cotton is placed on the imli (tamarind)
solution and kaitha (wood apple) gum is applied over
the layer of cloth. Another layer of processed cotton
is placed over the previous layer and gum paste is
applied on it, this is done to stick two layers. The
layered cotton is then sun dried. After cotton is dry,
a paste of chalk powder, imli and gum is applied on
both side of the layered cloth and it is sun dried. After
drying, khaddar stone is rubbed on the cloth several
times for smoothening the canvas. The smoothening
of canvas is called pattighasa. When canvasis smooth
then chikana stone is rubbed for shining the cloth.
The canvas is ready for painting and can be stored
and cut into required sizes for painting.In an interview
conducted regarding the process of making canvas,
artist Gokul Bihari Pattanaik explained that the
process begins with a sheet of cotton cloth being laid
out on the floor. A coat of gum made from imli(tamarind)
seeds is given over this cloth. After that another
piece of cloth should be laid on the top of the coated
cloth and then another coat of the tamarind glue is
applied. The layered cotton is then sun dried. Finally
chitrakaras burnish the cloth with a piece.
Patuas use different colored stones for making the
colors of the Patta. Blue is obtained from a blue stone
called Khandneela found in Odisha. Yellow is derived
from a yellow stone called Hartal, which is found in
Jaipur. All these colours are mixed in dried coconut
shells. The colours are mixed with kaitha gum which
acts as a fixative andprevents the painting from
decaying. A variety of colours is made by mixing the
existing primary colours, like, red mixed with white
gives pink. Brownish obtained from Geru stone, whose
powder is mixed with gum and water. Red comes
from a stone Hingulal, which, is a locally available
stone. The stone is powdered and mixed with water
and gum for painting. The bubbles and the patches
of gum in between the layers are removed and if
required, small piece of the cloth is applied to avoid
torn portion of old used cotton cloth. The gum of tamarind
seed is prepared to grind the tamarind seedsin
an electric grinder, earlier seeds were crushed on flat
stone bed. Later on grounded tamarind thick powder
cooked with required quantity of water toobtain gum.
When the fabric is totally dry, the glutinous coating
obtainedwith soft white stone powder and tamarind
gum in the ratio of 1:4 is rubbed on the dried fabric
with the help of cotton puff. When it is dry, the rubbing
process is followed with sharp edged steel glass,
later on the same processis repeated with wet cotton
puff and stone. After drying the fabric, it istaken off
the floor and cut into required rectangular or square
sizes withoutany wastage. The individual pieces are
polished with burnishing the smooth pebbles on both
side of surface.
(Fig. 4.22)
Radha Krishna in Kamyavan
(Fig. 4.23)
Goddess Durga/Adi Shakti
Fig. 4.23
Fig. 4.22

(Fig. 4.24)
Natural materials from which colours are obtained
(Fig. 4.25)
Drawing the composition is the very initial step of the art
(Fig. 4.26)
With Tuli or the brush colors are used to apply
(Fig. 4.26)
Colors are obtained by the hands
(Fig. 4.28)
Colors are obtained from flowers
4.81 OTHER ALTERNATIVES
Traditionally patuas used earth, tone and mineral
colours but presently artificial colours are also used.
Mainly five colours are used in Patas which areVermilion
(Hingula), yellow (Marital), White (Shankha),
Black (Kala) and Indian red Gem). Green is obtained
from green leaves of tea. White is obtained when
conch shell is powdered and boiled with kaitha gum,
till a pasteis formed. For use, little of this paste is
mixed with water. Black is formed from lamp black
or lamp soot, white is from conch shell by powdering,
redfrom Hingula mineral, yellow is made from Haritali
stone and blue is fromRamaraja, Sadhei, Matka, Tuli
stone. A burning lamp is placed inside an empty tin,
till a considerable amount of soots collects on the
underside of the tin. The oil used in the lamp is from
polang tree seeds which are locallyavailable. The
soot is then mixed with gum and water for use. In the
pastartisans applied red colour in the background but
at present, besides red,they use pink, white, blue, and
black colour. The very common colours used by the
chitrakaras are red, blue, yellow, green, black,white,
and pink . The colours used in painting are primarily
bright colours. These days besides these five colours,
different shades are achieved from thesestone and
mineral colours. Moreover, these days different shades
of artificial colours are bought to prepare less
expensive painting, Acrylic colour is used to paint
Tussar silk fabric.
4.82 COLOURS
There are some common characteristics of patachitras
according to the mythological texts and iconography.
They use blue for body of Krishna , white forbody of
Balarama, yellow for Radha as well as other gopis
(cowherd girls),and the use of green for Rama’s body.
Regarding the colour of the garments worn by the
deities, the artist is free to exercise his discretion in
colour schemes, barring a few provisions. For example,
the clothes of rishis and anyasis who have renounced
the material world is usually ochre or orange. The
yellow cloth or pitta basana is always associated with
Fig. 4.24
Krishna. Since, like Krishna, Ramachandra is consid
ered to be another incarnation of Vishnu,the usual
colour used for his garment is also yellow. Similarly,
as, according to Hindu scriptures, Shiva used a tiger’s
skin for his attire, his garment is dark yellow with dark
brown or black spots. The colour of the garments
of Brahma and Vishnu is usually white. However, in
Hindu mythology, a11male deities are painted with the
upper half of their bodies bare except for the long
folded cloth on their shoulder called uttari. There is
no strict colour scheme for the uttari, except those of
Bramha and Vishnu, who are never painted without
an uttari. The dress colour of almost all court attendants
in a court scene is usually found to be white.
Except for Saraswati, who is attired in white.
4.83 TOOLS & TECHNIQUES
The tools and equipments required for Pattachitra
painting were traditionally handmade. The material
used to prepare tools was locally available orthey
sourced from the local market of Puri. Traditionally
tools and equip-ments like Umhei (furnace), Mati Patra
or Atika(mud pot container), Sadhei(coconut shell,
keeping colour paste), Matka(ring, which is made
out fromedges of old cotton saris, used as a stand of
Sadhei), Tuli (brushes), Silap-athara (flat stone bed,
to grind tamarind seed), were used, but today most
of the tools and equipments are same, but mud pot
container with aluminiumor steel container, electric
grinder with Silapathara, handmade Tuli withbrushes
have been replaced.
The experienced chitrakaras do not use the pencil to
make the sketches but young painters first draw the
sketches with the help of pencil. First stage is Dhadimara
or demarcation of the borders, with the help
of scale; earlier string was used to make lines in the
border. Borders are anintegral part of painting and
this is drawn first on the painting on all thefour sides
of the patta consisting of two or three lines according
to the size of the painting. The outlines of the figures
are drawn first with pencil andthen very thin lines in
white are drawn. Unlike other paintings, patta painting
is done with a special kind of brush. Traditionally
the brushes were made by crushing a portion of the
root of the screw-pine, which are locally called ”Tuli”
in Medinipur. Mainly three types of brushes are used.
They are broad, medium and fine. The brush tips are
placed carefully in fire to sharpen them. Different
brushesare used for different colours and purposes.
For example, a thick brush isused to colour the background
of the canvas and body of the figures. Thin
brushes are used for ornamentation, primary thick
black lining etc. The thinnest brush, made of five or six
hairs of the farm rat, is used for the fi-nal black thin
lining. It is difficult to handle the latter type, which
requires much expertise. hairs of the buffalo, calf and
the mouse respectively. The finer brushes used by the
chitrakars are made of mouse hair and have woodenhandles.
These are used for the finer work they do like
ornamentation, faceetc. Other plane brushes, which
are not as fine as the mouse hair brushes, available
normally in the market are also used by the chitrakars.
All the brushes these chitrakars use lasts for 7-8
months, when they work daily.
Fig 4.25 Fig. 4.27
Fig. 4.26 Fig. 4.28

4.9 NARRAA TION - PATER GAAN
After the drawing is complete, Patta songs are
created to suit the visuals.These Patua songs of yore
are simple monotonous refrain and are sung bysingle
individual at a time. On an odd occasion however,
when the a groupof patuas get together, perhaps in
a village fair, then they might sing inchorus.The group
singing in chorus is called Poyar (not to be confused
withthe 14 beat meter of the same name.) In recent
times , Poyar singing has become a new trend.‘Pater
Gaan’ are played without any modern instrument.
Some times Patuas played their song by free voice
like
’Panchali Patha’
.Each song has primarily three stages-
1) The kahini or the story
2) The mahatmya or the glory
3) The bhanita or the self-introduction.
Patachitras, a component of an ancient Bengali
narrative art, originally serving as a visual device
during the performance of a song. The patua finishes
each performance with a personalization touch by
men-tioning his name, the name of his village and
sometimes the name of thepolice station under which
the village is located. Thus, the songs are a sig-nature
tune to the entire creation of a pat.
The songs follow a trend anda pattern referred to
as “tripad” or three beats in Indian classical music.
Primarily, this only included vocals, but later on simple
instruments likepercussion, e.g. the dugdugi or wind
instruments like the flute or even theharmonium were
added. While narrating, the body language and
intonationis an important part of the activity of pat
khelano or displaying. The patuaoften represents
the characters- both good and bad through hand
and palmgestures, eye movements and intonations.
Facial expressions are howeververy limited in nature,
but nevertheless helps to convey a message to the
audience. Thus, if the patua is performing as Krishna
and while speakingof his lady-love Radha, he would
try to emulate a feminine voice. Thus, thecharacters
are brought to life.
THEMES:
Narrative Form in Patachitra is an inherent part of
the patkhelano (unfold-ing of the pat) is derived from
different mythological stories and epics alongwith
historical events and religious sources. Sometimes
socio-cultural reflectis also found as a subject matter
along with local folktales and beliefs. Inrecent times
the narratives also include topics like HIV-AIDS,
global warming and awareness against existing social
evils. During narration the artistshows almost no facial
expression and delivers the narrative in a rhythmicspeech
with some voice modulation at places. They
learn the art from theelders from a very young age.
However much experimentation has not beendone
and not all patuas can sing or narrate. Some only
paint the scrolls.
CLASSIFACTION OF PRODUCTS:
BASED ON SUBJECT
According to subject matter there are many types of
Patachitras were found,such as Chakshudan Pata,
Jama Pata, Saheb Pata, Kalighata Pata, GajiPata,
Satyapirer Pata, Pabuji Pata etc. And in general
context of view Pat-achitra may be devided into six
classes. Such as General, Political, Historical,Religious,
social and environmental. Now here is some example,
classificationand description on various Pata, as
follows :
• General Pata : All type of single image of man or
woman or any kindof general art figure:
• Social Pata : Pulse Polio Abhiyan, eradiction of
Malaria, Communalharmony, Tsunami, Tree Plantation,
AIDS Awareness, Human Rights,Women’s cause,
earthquakes, corruption, protest to intoxication etc.
• Mythological Pata: Raban Badha, Sita Haran, King
Harishchandra,Krishnaleela, Durgaleela, Sabitree-Satyaban,
Manasa Mangal, ChandeeMangal, Dharma
Mangal, Annada Mangal.
• Historical Pata : Second World War, Ajaad Hind
Fouj and Netaji Sub-has Basu, Atom bombs in
Hirosima and Nagasaki, Destruction of BabriMasjid,
Terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre, Saheb
Pata, Lifeof Vidyasagar, Life of Rabindranath
Tagore, Life of Vivekananda.
• Religious Pata: GajiPata, Satyapirer Pata, Jama
Pata, Shakti Pata,Vaishnab Pata, Chaitanyaleela.
(Fig. 4.29)
Patua performing the visual narrative with ‘pater gaan’
Fig. 4.29

BASED ON SHAPES AND SIZES
The three original formats of painting a patachitra
from Purulia, Bankura,Birbhum and West Mednipur
are :
• Jadano Pat/ Rolling Pat/ The scroll : showing
episode sequences in avertically placed manner, all
illuminated along the picture frame oneabove the
other, with commonly ten to fifteen frames in all. This
is alsoknown as Dighal Pata or Latai Pata and it is
usually 10 to 40 feet long.It takes one to ten month
to make a Rolling Pata, which is dependedon how
the Pata is long. This type of Pata based on dramatic
story,which had described by the Patua in his song
and in the making of images Patuas used variety of
colours.
Fig. 4.30
• Arelatai pat : here the picture frames are horizontal
in nature- boundin two ends by two wooden sticks
to enable the patua to unroll the patas he gradually
displayed it in front of an audience. This contained
primarily six to eight frames.
• Choukosh pat : or the square pat is a card shaped
Pata, made on thebasis of single impression, which
has no rolling portion. This type of Pata have been
made from post card size to various big sizes. Postcard
sized Patas are available at the cost of Rs.10.
And other typeof Chouko Patas price rate depended
on the basis of size and quality.This is commonly used
to eulogise a deity or an incident.
Fig. 4.31
(Fig. 4.30)
Jaano Pat/Rolling Pat
(Fig. 4.31)
Arelatai Pat
(Fig. 4.32)
Choukosh Pat
Fig. 4.32
Fig. 4.33

4.10 NARRAA TIVES
Santhal Janam Katha
সাঁওতাল জন্মের গল্প
‘Santhal Janam Katha’, birth story of the Santhal tribe. According to the stories
narrated by Patua artists, Lord Jagannath, Balram and Subadra are said to have
asked about who will invoke them in prayers. They called on all the fishes, turtles
and other aquatic animals asking them to bring mud from nearby water bodies
and moulded two cows from it, Ahingai and Katingai.
Then, from the saliva of the cows, two blind birds were created – Tinchu Gudi
(female) and Tinchu Haran (male) – who gave birth to 7 boys and 7 girls. The
boys and girls were left in two separate forests. Nevertheless, while on a hunting
expedition they encountered each other and eventually married each other,
unaware of the fact that they were all siblings. They built a small village, and
started farming, establishing their own domestic life and a family.
The festival of Makar Sankranti, known as Sakrat in the Santhal community is an
important celebration. This is an occasion for the Santhals to go about singing
songs from house to house and engage in festivities. It is during this time several
songs are performed around their Janam Kat, the origin story.
তারপরে, গরুগুলির লালা থেকে দুটি অন্ধ পাখি তৈরি করা হয়েছিল - টিঞ্চু গুড়ি (মহিলা) এবং
তিনচু হরণ (পুরুষ) - যিনি 7 ছেলে এবং 7 মেয়ে জন্ম দিয়েছেন। ছেলে এবং মেয়েদের দুটি পৃথক বনে
ফেলে রাখা হয়েছিল। তবুও, একটি শিকার অভিযানের সময় তারা একে অপরের মুখোমুখি হয়েছিল
এবং অবশেষে একে অপরকে বিয়ে করেছিল, তারা সকলেই ভাই-বোন ছিল এই বিষয়ে অজানা।
তারা একটি ছোট গ্রাম গড়ে তুলেছিল এবং কৃষিকাজ শুরু করে, নিজস্ব গৃহস্থালি জীবন এবং
পরিবার প্রতিষ্ঠা করে।
সাঁওতাল সম্প্রদায়ের সাকরাত নামে পরিচিত মকর সংক্রান্তি উত্সব একটি গুরুত্বপূর্ণ
উদযাপন। সান্থালদের ঘরে ঘরে গান গাওয়া এবং উত্সবে জড়িত এমন একটি উপলক্ষ। এটি এই
সময়ে তাদের জনম ক্যাট, মূল কাহিনীকে ঘিরে বেশ কয়েকটি গান পরিবেশিত হয়।
Fig. 4.35
Fig. 4.34

Tribal Wedding
উপজাতি বিবাহ
Goddess Chandi, avatar of Durga.
চণ্ডী দেবীর উপজাতি বিবাহ, দুর্গার অবতার।
Durga Pata narrates two stories that revolve around the worship of
the Goddess Chandi, avatar of Durga.
Fig. 4.36
A festive mood pervades in this patachitra painting as Santhal people join the
marriage procession. They make up one of the largest tribes spread across the
states of West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Assam and Jharkhand; they are known to
love to dance in order to relax. For this patachitra painting. This scroll depicts
women and men balancing bowls of rice on their heads as well as playing their
traditional instruments. The Indian artist starts by preparing the colors from
natural dyes, obtaining a palette of bright colors that capture the joyful spirit of
the occasion. She then paints on paper which she pastes on cotton fabric recycled
from saris.
সাঁওতাল লোকেরা বিবাহ শোভাযাত্রায় যোগ দেওয়ার সাথে সাথে এই পটচিত্র চিত্রকর্মে
একটি উত্সব মেজাজ ছড়িয়ে পড়ে। তারা পশ্চিমবঙ্গ, বিহার, ওড়িশা, আসাম এবং ঝাড়খণ্ড
রাজ্য জুড়ে ছড়িয়ে থাকা বৃহত্তম উপজাতির একটি তৈরি করে; তারা শিথিল করতে নাচতে
ভালোবাসে। এই পাঠচিত্র চিত্রকর্মের জন্য। এই স্ক্রোলটি মহিলাদের এবং পুরুষদের তাদের
মাথার উপর ধানের বাটিগুলিকে ভারসাম্য বজায় রাখার পাশাপাশি তাদের traditionalতিহ্যবাহী
যন্ত্রগুলি খেলার চিত্রিত করে। ভারতীয় শিল্পী প্রাকৃতিক রঙ্গিন থেকে রঙ প্রস্তুত করে,
উজ্জ্বল রঙের একটি প্যালেট গ্রহণ করে যা এই অনুষ্ঠানের আনন্দময় মনোভাবকে ধারণ
করে starts তারপরে তিনি কাগজে পেইন্ট করেন যা তিনি শাড়ি থেকে পুনর্ব্যবহার করা সুতি
কাপড়ের উপর পেস্ট করেন
On the left, the first panel follows the story of Indra’s son Nilambar
who is cursed and reborn as Kalketu, a member of an outcast
hunter community. Nilambar’s wife, Chaya, is born as Phullara,
wife of Kalketu. Goddess Chandi, bestows great wealth on the pair,
asking them to cut down the forest and create a kingdom where she
is greatly worshipped. Once the deed is performed, Kalketu returns
to heaven as Nilambar. The second panel, on the right, tells the
story of a rich, upper class and staunch Shaivite merchant called
Dhanpati Saudgar. A dancer at Indra ‘s court is sent down to earth
because of a curse as Dhanpati’s wife Khulana in his polygamous
marriage. Khulana is treated badly by Dhanpati’s first wife Lahana.
Consequently, Khulana starts worshipping Goddess Chandi. Dhanpati,
being a Shaivite, rejects her faith and equates it to the likes of
witchcraft or sorcery. The Goddess, furious at his conduct, drowns his
merchant ships and imprisons him. The son of Khulana, Sripati, who
is a devout worshipper of the Goddess, saves the life of Dhanpati.
This incident reinforces Dhanpati’s confidence in the power of the
Goddess. Recognizing his arrogance in discriminating between Shiva
and Parvati, he begins to worship the Goddess.
বাম দিকে, প্রথম প্যানেলটি ইন্দ্রের পুত্র নীলাম্বরের গল্প অনুসরণ করেছে
যিনি অভিশপ্ত এবং বহিরাগত শিকারী সম্প্রদায়ের সদস্য কালকেতু হিসাবে
পুনর্বার জন্মগ্রহণ করেছেন। নীলাম্বারের স্ত্রী ছায়া কালকেটুর স্ত্রী
ফুল্লারা হিসাবে জন্মগ্রহণ করেছেন। দেবী চণ্ডী, এই জুটিকে দুর্দান্ত সম্পদ
দান করেছেন, তাদেরকে বন কেটে ফেলতে এবং এমন একটি রাজ্য তৈরি করতে
বলেছেন যেখানে তাঁর প্রচুর উপাসনা করা হয়। দলিলটি সম্পাদন করার পরে,
কলকেতু স্বর্গে ফিরে আসেন নীলাম্বর হিসাবে। ডানদিকে দ্বিতীয় প্যানেল
ধনপতি সওদাগর নামে এক ধনী, উচ্চবিত্ত এবং কট্টর শৈবীয় বণিকের গল্প
বলে। ধর্পতির স্ত্রী খুলনা তার বহু বিবাহিত বিবাহে অভিশাপের কারণে ইন্দ্রের
দরবারে একজন নর্তকীকে পৃথিবীতে নামানো হয়েছে। খুলনার সাথে ধনপাতির
প্রথম স্ত্রী লহানা খারাপ আচরণ করেছেন। ফলস্বরূপ, খুলনা দেবী চণ্ডীর
পূজা শুরু করেন। ধনপতি এক শৈব হওয়ায় তার বিশ্বাসকে প্রত্যাখ্যান করে এবং
এটিকে যাদুবিদ্যা বা যাদুবিদ্যার মতো করে তোলে। দেবী তার আচরণে ক্রুদ্ধ
হয়ে তার বণিক জাহাজগুলিকে ডুবিয়ে বন্দী করে রাখে। খুলনার পুত্র শ্রীপতি,
যিনি দেবীর একনিষ্ঠ উপাসক, তিনি ধনপাতির জীবন বাঁচান। এই ঘটনাটি দেবীর
শক্তিতে ধনপতির আত্মবিশ্বাসকে শক্তিশালী করে। শিব এবং পার্বতীর
মধ্যে বৈষম্যমূলক আচরণে তাঁর অহমিকা স্বীকার করে তিনি দেবীর উপাসনা শুরু
করেন।
Fig. 4.37

Manasa Goddess
মনসা দেবী
Radha Krishna in Kamyavan
কাম্যাবনে রাধা কৃষ্ণ
The cult of Manasa, a snake-goddess or Vishadari, is widespread in and around
Bengal. Often worshipped to cure diseases and bestow fertility, Manasa Devi is a
folk deity who forms one of the popular themes portrayed on a Pata. This scroll
depicts the Hindu snake goddess Manasa – an important local deity in Bengal.
There is the icon of Manasa, repeating across the scroll, and in the background
a tiny figure of Shiva accompanying her. In mythology, Shiva is associated with
Manasa either as her husband or her father. Mostly portrayed as having a third
eye and many arms, majestically sitting on a snake throne and wearing gorgeous
jewellery, her stories are usually picked from the medieval text Manasa Mangal
Kavya. It is notable in this particular Manasa Pata that parts of the story are
also depicted on the border, which is out of the ordinary. One such indigenous
belief system that flourished in eastern India is that of the Manasa cult, appropriated
in the larger Brahmanic pantheon as a form of the Devi. Manasa is
an everyday goddess, who protects the common man from a host of quotidian
problems, particularly snakes (a routine menace in rural society). Her legends are
interwoven into the language of her people and the ‘patua’ community of West
Bengal plays an especially important role in making sure these stories stay alive.
The art acts mainly as a prop in the more primary function of storytelling and
singing; the illustrations may even vary depending on the whims of the storyteller.
This place is surrounded any pleasant lakes, wells, ponds, trees, creepers, flowers,
fruits and species of birds contribute to its extraordinary beauty. Hence, it is called
Kamyavan. Thsi is the place where Krishna performed many of His childhood
pastimes. According to the Vishnu Purana, there are eighty-four sacred ponds,
eighty-four temples and eighty-four pillars in Kamyavan. It is said that a famous
king named Shri Kamasena established them all. Kamyavan has countless small
and large kundas (small reservoir of water), as well as a Parikrama of fourteen
miles. Some of the prominent kundas are Vimala Kunda, Dharma Kunda and
Kama Kunda.
Fig. 4.38
সাপ-দেবী বা বিশদরী মনসার ধর্মোপদেশ বাংলার আশেপাশে বিস্তৃত। রোগ নিরাময়ের
জন্য এবং উর্বরতা বর্ধন করার জন্য প্রায়শই উপাসনা করা হয়, মনসা দেবী হলেন একজন
লোক দেবতা, যিনি একটি পাতার চিত্রিত জনপ্রিয় থিমগুলির মধ্যে একটি তৈরি করেন। এই
স্ক্রোলটিতে হিন্দু সাপ দেবী মনসা চিত্রিত হয়েছে - যা বাংলার একটি গুরুত্বপূর্ণ স্থানীয়
দেবতা। সেখানে মনসার আইকন রয়েছে, এই স্ক্রোলটি জুড়ে পুনরাবৃত্তি করছে, এবং পটভূমিতে
শিবের একটি ছোট্ট চিত্র তাঁর সাথে ছিল। পৌরাণিক কাহিনী অনুসারে শিব মনসার সাথে তাঁর
স্বামী বা তাঁর পিতা হিসাবে জড়িত। বেশিরভাগ ক্ষেত্রে তৃতীয় চোখ এবং অনেক বাহু হিসাবে
চিত্রিত হয়েছে, মহিমান্বিতভাবে একটি সাপের সিংহাসনে বসে এবং খুব সুন্দর গহনা পরেছিলেন,
তাঁর গল্পগুলি সাধারণত মধ্যযুগীয় পাঠ মনসা মঙ্গল কাব্য থেকে নেওয়া হয়। এই বিশেষ মনসা
পাতায় উল্লেখযোগ্য যে গল্পের কিছু অংশ সীমান্তেও চিত্রিত করা হয়েছে, যা সাধারণের
বাইরে নয়। পূর্ব ভারতে এমন একটি আদিবাসী বিশ্বাস ব্যবস্থা বিকশিত হয়েছিল, এটি মনসা
সম্প্রদায়কে বৃহত্তর ব্রাহ্মণ্য উপাসনালয়ে দেবীর রূপ হিসাবে চিহ্নিত করা হয়েছিল। মনসা
হলেন একটি নিত্যদিনের দেবী, তিনি সাধারণ মানুষকে প্রচুর কোটিডিয়ান সমস্যা থেকে
রক্ষা করেন, বিশেষত সাপ (গ্রামীণ সমাজে একটি নিয়মিত বিপত্তি)। তাঁর কিংবদন্তিগুলি তাঁর
লোকদের ভাষায় অন্তর্নিহিত এবং পশ্চিমবঙ্গের ‘পটুয়া’ সম্প্রদায় এই গল্পগুলি বেঁচে থাকার
ক্ষেত্রে বিশেষ ভূমিকা পালন করে। শিল্পটি মূলত গল্প বলা এবং গাওয়ার আরও প্রাথমিক
কার্যক্রমে একটি প্রপ হিসাবে কাজ করে; গল্পকারের কৌতুক অনুসারে চিত্রগুলি এমনকি
আলাদা হতে পারে
এই জায়গাটি ঘিরে রয়েছে যেকোন মনোরম হ্রদ, কূপ, পুকুর, গাছ, লতা, ফুল, ফল এবং
প্রজাতির পাখি এর অসাধারণ সৌন্দর্যে অবদান রাখে। তাই একে কাম্যবান বলা হয় y থিশি
সেই জায়গা যেখানে কৃষ্ণ তাঁর শৈশবকালীন অনেক সময় উপভোগ করেছিলেন। বিষ্ণু পুরাণ
অনুসারে, কাম্যবায়নে চৌষট্টিটি পবিত্র পুকুর, চৌদ্দটি মন্দির এবং চৌদ্দটি স্তম্ভ
রয়েছে। কথিত আছে যে শ্রী কামসেনা নামে এক বিখ্যাত রাজা তাদের সকলকে প্রতিষ্ঠিত
করেছিলেন। কাম্যবনের অসংখ্য ছোট-বড় কুন্ডা (জলের ছোট জলাধার) পাশাপাশি চৌদ্দ
মাইলের পরিক্রমা রয়েছে। বিশিষ্ট কুন্ডের মধ্যে কয়েকটি হ’ল বিমালা কুন্ডা, ধর্ম কুণ্ডা এবং
কাম কুন্ডা
Fig. 4.39

Babu embracing Bibi
বাবু জড়িয়ে ধরল বিবিকে
The subject shows a stereotypical Bengali babu embracing his bibi or mistress. The
style is similar to that of 19th century kalighat painting, but the choice and use
of colour is original to the artist. This one based this painting on the traditional
composition of a babu and bibi embracing, but has introduced new colours in his
depiction of the figures in the form of pale lilac and pinks made from seasonal
flowers. The long and thin orientation of this painting allows it to be easily rolled
and stored along with his scrolls when not on display.
বিষয়টিতে একটি বিদ্ধ বাঙ্গালী বাবু তার বিবি বা উপপত্নীকে জড়িয়ে ধরে দেখায়। শৈলীটি 19
শতকের কালিঘাটের চিত্রের মতো, তবে রঙের পছন্দ এবং ব্যবহার শিল্পীর কাছে মূল। এটি
একটি বাবু এবং বিবি আলিঙ্গনের theতিহ্যবাহী রচনার উপর ভিত্তি করে এই চিত্রকর্মটি
তৈরি করেছে, তবে মৌসুমী ফুলগুলি থেকে ফ্যাকাশে লিলাক এবং পিঙ্কগুলির আকারে তাঁর
চিত্রগুলিতে নতুন রঙের পরিচয় দিয়েছে। এই পেইন্টিংয়ের দীর্ঘ এবং পাতলা দৃষ্টিভঙ্গি এটি
প্রদর্শিত না হয়ে যখন সহজেই তার স্ক্রোলগুলির সাথে সহজেই ঘূর্ণায়মান এবং সংরক্ষণের
অনুমতি দেয়।
Fig. 4.40

4.11 MEETING THE CRAA FTSPERSON - PATUAS
Naya is home to more than 250 patuas or
chitrakaars, a unique community of folk artistes who
are painters, lyricists, singers and performers all rolled
into one. They are poor, but they try to find new markets
and sell their art to middle-class families in
Calcutta. In addition to itinerate singing, they augment
their income by selling scrolls to urban buyers
and government sponsors for campaigns on adult
literacy, social welfare and public health. They also
participate in juried handicraft competitions in Midnapore
and Calcutta.
Bahadur Chitrakar. He has single-handedly built
a museum at his own residence. He has collected
ancient musical instruments, masks, coins, Patachitras,
ornaments, etc. from different states of India and
also from Europe and Africa. But, unfortunately, his
maximum educational level is Class IV. This crisis of
education hinders him to understand the cultural texts
and folk arts of different countries. He has collected
also many books of folk art and culture but “because
of my lack of education and my inability to read
those”, as said by Bahadur Chitrakar “I can no keep
them in order and cannot understand the letters.”
When did the Patuas come to Naya?
Traditionally, Patua artists would travel from village
to village trading their performances of singing and
sharing their visual scroll presentations for money or
in-kind food and lodging. Today, they travel to various
art and craft markets in the larger city centers such
as Dilli Haat in New Delhi or to local fairs to sell their
paintings. About four years ago, the small village of
Naya became the site of its own festival – the Pot
Maya, which is a festival featuring the scroll paintings,
music, dancing and singing.
What does the last name ‘Chitrakar’ signify?
The word ‘Chitrakar’ would signify both title and
profession. Not only do these Chitrakars paint pats
but also they compose a song for each piece of
painting, which they sing while scrolling up and down
the pats. The scrolls are ‘ten to twenty cubits in length
and the width is from one and a half to two cubits’.
(Mookerjee, 16). Primarily the patuas were primarily
wandering artists- who would travel from place to
place with painted scrolls of different patachitras and
collected rice or money for their livelihood. The Patuas
provide edutainment to the rural audiences singing
stories from mythology, social context. Singing with
pats is a community affair of the Patuas; a traditional
entertainment marking the identity, the existence, the
culture and history of their society.
What all are the reasons for the lack of formal
education among the Patuas?
So far, there is no school nearby the village. The nearest
school to village is Lakshmibari High School which
is about quite far away from the village. Besides this,
poverty has caused them not to be get into study at
this phase of their life, rather than to be interested
in painting. Even, the seniors are not aware of the
benefits of getting a formal education. So, we can say
the social responsibility of the educational institutions
is lacking in the locality. Lastly lack of initiative by the
State Government and Central Government especially
for the educational development of the community.
What are the possible measures for improvement
of the situation?
Some training can be organized time to time, so that
the artists can learn how to use information and
communication technology and how to sell their
products online and also to communicate with the
international buyers.
(Fig. 4.41)
Interacting with the Chitrakar and listening to pater gaan
and asked for the translation of the narratives
Fig. 4.41

4.12 ARTISAN’S PROFILING
BAHADUR CHITRAa KAa R
Fig. 4.43
He’s Bahadur Chitrakar, 48. He’s has been doing this like a tradition. It has
now become an ancestral activity that has been brought down from one generation
to the another. He eventually got inclined to this folk art in the activity
by observing his family and others working on these paintings and performing
scrolls. With time enthusiasm was generated when he tried the activity on his
own and that is how he started developing an intrest for this art. His mother
and younger brothers are active Chitrakars who are presently engaged in
the same occupation. His sister, Swarna Chitrakar, is noteworthy for she has
gained international recognition through this very practice. He would also
encourage the upcoming generations to indulge into the artistic activity and
follow the traditions that he has lived up with.
Fig. 4.44
Ram Lakshman Sita in Panchwati
Fig. 4.42

ARTISAN’S PROFILING
ARTISAN’S PROFILING
SUMAN CHITRAa KAa R
RUPSONA CHITRAa KAa R
Fig. 4.45
Fig. 4.47
He’s Suman Chitrakar, 35. a young Patua Artist started painting thirteen years
ago at the age of twenty with his mentor Jagdevji. He has been creatively infusing
new themes to the traditional art form to create a distinctive style of his
own. He carries the lineage of ‘folk’ artists who paint long, vertical scrolls and
compose verses. His artwork has featured in two books – one book on Bono
Bibi of the Sunderbans and another on the life of Savitribai Phule published by
Azim Premji University. He has conducted workshops on Bengal Pattachitra in
Delhi with the Happy Hands Foundation, in Kolkata with Eastern Zonal Cultural
Centre an organization under Ministry of Culture a workshop organized
at the Victoria Memorial Hall and in Goa with the Kala Academy.
Fig. 4.46
Devi
She’s Rupsona Chitrakar, 24 years old, daughter of Bahadur Chitrakar, and
wife of Suman Chitrakar is a patachitra artist of Pingla. She has been practicing
pattachitra since she was a child, the art of pattachitra has been passed
on in her family since generations and she is proud to carry it forward, while
handling her household and taking care of her two kids Rupsona has expertise
in painting on Santhal tribal themes. She started painting at the age of
six and learnt from her father Bahadur Chitrakar and grandmother Baharjan
Chitrakar. She paints on religious themes and works on apparels as well. She
has participated in exhibitions and fairs in Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore
and Pune.
Fig. 4.48
Radha Krishna In Kamyavan

CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES
Globalization has resulted in the simple rustic the
lives of rural people being changed on account of the
influx of advanced technology, commercial
entertainment, fusion cultures, and mobile capital. It
affects traditional arts and crafts which are produced
by rural artisans like the patuas, kumbhakaras (idol
makers), sutradharas (wood carvers) and so on.
‘The Patuas faced enormous problems and failed to
compete. Illiteracy made them even more vulnerable
exhausting their artistic spirit...the Patuas have
lived a life of poverty, negligence and deprivation
for decades after independence...The art of making
Patachitra also lacked any specific thrust or policy
support from the State Government. Gradually with
the passage of time during the 1970s this folk art
emerged as a unique unparalleled art form of Bengal
to boast of among a new rank of educated audience
of urbanity.
(Fig. 4.42)
Houses are painted beautifully like a canvas, clicked outside
of the resource center
(Fig. 4.43)
Bahadur Chitrakar in frame
(Fig. 4.44)
Ram Lakshman Sita in Panchwati by Bahadur Chitrakar
(Fig. 4.45)
Suman Chitrakar in frame
(Fig. 4.46)
Devi by Suman Chitrakar
(Fig. 4.47)
Rupsona Chitrakar
(Fig. 4.48)
Radha Krishna In Kamyavan by Rupsona Chitrakar
(Fig. 4.49)
Unidentified
Fig. 4.49

INNn OVATION & CHANGES
The West Bengal Government has set up ‘Rural Craft
Hubs’14 at Naya, Pingla, for the development of
patuas of Medinipur. These kinds of intervention may
help in several ways:
a) Exposure will help the artisans (like patuas) to get
‘identity’ and evolve as destinations/checkpoint.
b) Rural festivals will create local ‘recognition’, attract
outsiders to the place, develop new partnerships
including media, and will also benefit the larger
communities around the craft villages.
c) The main objective is to create increased
awareness on the handicraft hubs in the global
market.
The Government has taken some promotional programmes
for development and survival of craft heritage
of Bengal. The Directorate of Micro and Small
Scale Enterprises15 is the main promotional body
and works as a facility-provider for the development
of this sector. The District Industry Centres (DICs),
located at all districts, render the promotional services
for development of Handicrafts at district, block, and
village levels. For the benefit of the handicraft artisans
the Government has taken initiatives for issuance of
‘Artisan Photo Identity Card’, ‘Artisan Credit Card’
and the health card, ‘Rajiv Gandhi Shilpi Swastha
Bima Yojona’. Those facilities are availed by a large
number of patuas of both the districts of Purba &
Paschim Medinipur. The Government has taken many
development projects besides the formation of SHGs.
The District Industries Centre issue Identity Cards for
the patuas. The Department of Micro & Small Scale
Enterprises & Textiles of the Government of West
Bengal has also organised Skill Development programmes
of six months duration for the artisans and
given stipend amounting to Rs.750 to every participant
in the programme. Moreover, many handicrafts
fairs are organised both at the national and state
levels, at New Delhi, Chandigarh, Bengaluru, Garbi
etc. Zohoran Chitrakar and Rahim Chitrakar of Naya,
Pingla, participated in the Garbi Fair, 2014 and their
business amounted to Rs.50000 (according to K. D.
Banerjee, an employee o f The Department of Micro
Small & Medium Enterprises & Textiles (DMSME)
of the Government of West Bengal. In West Bengal,
many Handicrafts fairs are organised by the Department
of Micro and Small Scale Enterprises & Textiles
(DMSME) of the Govt. of West Bengal at Kolkata,
Burdwan, Purba Medinipur and Paschim Medinipur.
Kolkata and Burdwan fairs are running successfully
for 32 and 13 years respectively.
Pata-painting in Medinipur has a long and rich history;
yet the advent of commercialisation of scroll-based
products emerged only in the last 15 to 20 years.
Earlier, Manimala Chitrakar and others of Naya, Paschim
Medinipur, were daily labourers. The endeavour
to educate the unskilled patuas by the Crafts Council
of India, NGOs like Banglanatak-dot-com, and the
State Government through different workshops is still
on. Moreover, the formation of Self Help Groups and
the participation of female patuas in large numbers
have given momentum to the whole of the process.
Their participation in the fair at Pingla as well as
other national and international fairs and enhancement
of the list of commodities they make have given
an impetus to pata painting of Bengal. In this context,
the Design Development Programmes for the artisans
organised by both the Handicrafts Commissioner of
the Government of India and Micro & Small Scale
Industries of West Bengal are very significant. As a
result a number of household commodities
e.g. bags, pen-stands, ashtrays, umbrellas, shoes,
sarees and curtains are now included in the list of
things that their creative style of pata painting
produces. It seems that sustainable development has
finally been achieved in the patua settlements of
Medinipur. The famous settlement of patuas, Naya, of
Paschim Medinipur, has got the status of a Heritage
Village. The number of patuas of Medinipur
participating in different workshops, craft fairs, and
awareness campaigns is very significantly huge.
(Fig. 4.50)
It was I got clicked by one of the kids from the host family,
while I was leaving, on completion of my field study
Fig. 4.50

FUTURE OF PATACHITRAa
As globalization in India progresses, the balance between reflection on the past and questioning the future will be crucial in keeping folk art alive. But, in the end folk
art is tied to more than just the cultural heritage of a community. It is also about the health and economic solvency of rural artisans. Perhaps that is the key to keeping
folk art from succumbing to commercialization, finding a way to make sure that artisans can provide for their families without it jeopardizing the integrity of their work.
Or, on the other hand, perhaps that is the very reason that folk art changes in the first place, because it exists to serve the needs of the community. The Naya patuas’
determination to persevere in their activity harmonised very well with efforts by these various stakeholders to research and appropriate this local practice. The more the
sources of demand, the greater the chances of continuing to be a patua. This could be understood as a form of “resilience”. And it has also made it possible for women to
achieve and maintain a role in the contemporary production and dissemination of the patua craft. In this sea of trajectories it is important to emphasize how these
artisans appropriated these local, national and international demands, incorporating them into their socio-cultural reality—a process of which their current paintings are
the result. Though the future is uncertain, this most recent program explores the constitution of potential audiences within reach of today’s patua, in places where
producing paintings on other mediums might further increase the income of the artisan families.
(Fig. 4.51)
Tribal Wedding Patachitra
Fig. 3.81

CONCLUSION
All this research and survey highlights one of the fact that pattachitra is the cultural heritage and treasure of Bengal. And, we as a designer or researcher are
meant to secure such art forms for our upcoming generations to adore their culture. So far the hurdles and problems of the artisans can be solved by availing the
short-term advances, which will act as a link to progress. It is also necessary to make the artisans aware of the advancement of exploitative techniques. Extension of
development towards this art form can bring up novel ideas for example – a technology to extract natural colour can help saving time. Besides that, the artisans must
be provided a subsidy for raw materials i.e. on canvas and natural colours. The subsidy can help them to save extra expenses and it can save time for their artwork. Such
initiatives will indirectly curtail the unfair means spread by the intermediaries.
There is, however, darkness behind an apparent dazzling light. It is very alarming that the concept of globalisation and commercialisation de-constructed uniform folk
elements around the world. The patuas of Medinipur are no exception. Sustainable development promotes the idea that social, environmental, and economic progress
are all attainable within the limits of our earth’s natural resources. Sustainable development approaches everything in the world as being connected through space, time
and quality of life. Traditional scroll painting appears demoralised. With increasing market exposure, today the Patuas constantly innovate to create new products to
meet the demands of modern lifestyle and new customers. The wide range of diversified products like sarees, dress materials, umbrellas, home décor items, table lamps,
trays, stationery items, bags, jewellery etc. are made by applying the Patachitra motifs. The length of scroll has diminished, proper panel works of a particular story of a
scroll has vanished, musical narratives are not sung in proper way, traditional and proper colour combinations are not found in many cases, vegetable dyes are not used,
the ‘workshop products’ or the newly ‘educated’ patuas have no proper idea of their glorious hereditary achievements. Urban customers who emerged in the
post-colonial period are bored in this type of commercialisation of scroll painting and subsequent decrease in the quality of the products.. Our handicrafts have carved
out a special niche in both developed and developing countries. All the paintings have a moral lesson which makes the listeners aware of the virtues and vices of life.
Lastly, it is much required and essential to make the functions of non-governmental organizations more into work. The non-governmental organizations working for
handicraft sectors must be given due priority in the state, to strengthen the cultural artifact in the near future. Their collaboration with local artisans can help them to
participate in worldwide forums. Likewise, government interventions can help to promote self-help groups especially among the women, it can help to promote gender
equality in practicing the art form. Moreover, young youths must be encouraged in technically based training i.e. opening up a new website for their family occupation
and joining a partnership with big online websites through government interventions.
(Fig. 4.52)
Candid clicked somewhere inside the NID Campus, during last days of this module
Photo Credits: Supriya Patil
Fig. 3.82

NOTES:
i Amrita Bose, Move over Rama, Sita wants to speak,
http://www.mid-day.com/specials/2011/jul/310711- Move-over-Rama-Sita-wants-to-speak.htm
ii The pata can be accessed at http://learningobjects.wesleyan.edu/naya/scrolls/31_manasamangal.html. It also contains songs sung by Snehalata Chitrakar and Mayna
Chitrakar.
iii Frank J. Korom, Village of painters: narrative scrolls from West Bengal, Museum of New Mexico Press, 2006. I had the good fortune to meet Frank J. Korom, who
teaches at Boston University and he speaks good Bengali.
iv Scott Rothstein’s review of Village of Painters, Narrative Scrolls from West Bengal by Frank J. Korom, Folk Art Messenger (Vol. 19, No. 2, Spring/Summer 2007,
http://artfoundout.blogspot.com/2007/07/village-of- painters-narrative-scrolls.html).
v Frank J. Korom, Village of painters: narrative scrolls from West Bengal, Museum of New Mexico Press, 2006.
vi Maleek Chitrakar at Saras Mela 2010,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcKoJaDNBpw
vii Pooja Sarkar ‘Deft strokes’. Business Standard, November 06, 2011..
http://www.business- standard.com/india/news/deft-strokes/454636/

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