Art Forms (Sohra, Pattachitra, Patua) |ForumIAS

News: The artists of Sohrai, Pattachitra and Patua art forms participated in the second edition of Kala Utsav 2025 at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

About Art Forms (Sohra, Pattachitra, Patua)

Origin: The term Pattachitra (pata = cloth, chitra = picture in Sanskrit) refers to ancient cloth-based scroll painting traditions from Odisha and, in a distinct form, West Bengal.
- In Odisha, the art flourished around Puri and is closely associated with Jagannath culture.
Themes
- It showcases narrative depictions of Hindu gods, goddesses, and religious stories, especially episodes from the life of Jagannath, Krishna, and other deities.
Technique used
- They are painted on cloth or sometimes on palm leaves.
- The cloth is treated with a chalk-gum base, polished, and then painted with natural mineral and vegetable pigments.
- Artists are called Chitrakars.
Style features
- The paintings are recognized with bold, black outlines, rich colors (mainly red, yellow, blue, green, and white), and elaborate decorative borders.
- Their figures are stylized like almond-shaped eyes, elaborate ornamentation, and compact composition.

Origin: It is a traditional tribal mural art form originating in Jharkhand, primarily among the Santhal, Oraon, Munda, Sadan, and Ho tribes.
- It is mainly practiced in Hazaribagh district but also in parts of Bihar, Odisha, and West Bengal.
Festive association: Traditionally, women of the household paint on the mud walls of their homes during the holiday of Sohrai, which falls just a day after the Hindu celebration of Diwali.
Themes
- They are dominated by natural and agricultural motifs—animals (hens, buffaloes, horses, wild animals), birds, lotuses, trees, and scenes of village life. Fertility, nature, and harmony are central themes.
Technique used
- The art is traditionally created by women using their fingers, twigs, or brushes.
- Colors are naturally sourced—from clay, charcoal, rice paste, and leaves.
- Distinct clay varieties (kali matti, charak matti, dudhi matti, lal matti, pili matti) are used for hues.
Styles
- Vibrant, lively designs with bold red and black lines.
- Red symbolizes ancestral blood while black denotes death or Shiva.
- The paintings are often matriarchal, with pregnant figures and animals depicted with their young.

Origin: It is a traditional folk art form from the state of West Bengal.
- It is also practised in Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and parts of Bangladesh.
Style
- They are primarily created on fabric scrolls, which are subsequently utilised by itinerant storytellers to convey stories from Hindu mythology, folklore, and current events.
Themes
- They frequently depict Hindu deities and mythical stories.
- Some paintings depict current events or social topics as well.
Technique used
- Traditional Patua paintings are distinguished by their vibrant colours, clean lines, and dynamic compositions.
- The painters produce their paintings with natural hues like turmeric, indigo, and red ochre.
- The scrolls are often painted on coarse cotton cloth, then reinforced on the back with fabric from ancient saris.
Types: Patua artwork is classified into two types:
- Scroll paintings: These are traditional Patua paintings used to tell stories.
  - They are often long and narrow, reaching lengths of several feet.
- Panel paintings: These are smaller, more individual paintings that are usually hung or framed.
  - They show various subjects, including deities, animals, and ordinary scenes.