Nayagram’s Patachitra art: uniting faith and heritage through vibrant storytelling
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Nayagram a small village in West Bengal's Paschim Medinipur district turns into a colorful open-air gallery every winter. Each house becomes a canvas that tells the stories of Bengal's rich history, mythology, and culture. Everyone in the village is a chitrakar or painter, creating traditional Patachitra scrolls that depict Hindu mythological tales with beautiful artwork and songs. Patachitra is an ancient Indian art form that mostly shows stories of Hindu gods and goddesses. Over 130 families in Nayagram continue this tradition, passing it down through generations. These families live with a unique mix of identities: they paint Hindu religious stories but follow Islam. Many believe they are descendants of Vishwakarma the divine architect in Hindu myths. One of the artists Shamsuddin Khan (Khadu Patua), shares that his family moved from East Pakistan during the Bengal famine and has been creating Patachitra for generations. He recalls that their work used to involve going to people's homes to display their scrolls and sing their stories. Despite their different religion, their art was always respected, lifting them from a life of hardship to dignity.
The Patachitra scrolls are special because they have a fabric lining on the back allowing them to be rolled up for easy storage and transport. These long paintings, some as long as 20 feet, tell the stories of Hindu epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Artist Ajay Chitrakar explains, "Our ancestors passed down these stories, and we continue to illustrate them in our scrolls." The artists use only natural materials for their paints such as bael fruit for glue turmeric for yellow and blue pea flowers for blue. These natural colors are also used to paint sarees and shawls, with no chemical dyes involved. "We gather materials like Malabar spinach berries for red and ground rice paste for white," says Saleha Bibi another artist.
Although men traditionally performed the songs and storytelling, women are now taking on more prominent roles in the art. However, fewer young men are joining the craft. Despite these changes, the core of Patachitra—carefully crafted scrolls using traditional methods—remains intact. Nayagram's Patachitra art has been recognized by UNESCO as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, leading to global recognition. Artists from the village now showcase their work in countries like Japan, Germany, and Australia. With the recognition, some artists are earning better. Radha Chitrakar (Reifun Bibi) shares, "I earned Rs 1.5 lakh during an exhibition abroad last year, which I used to build a house. My son contributed to the upper floor with his earnings from another exhibition abroad." Despite this success, Nayagram remains a small village with limited resources. Most of the 136 artisan families rely solely on Patachitra for their income, as farming isn't an option. The government gives a small pension, but it isn’t enough to support them. The village lacks a senior school, and the nearest healthcare center is 5 kilometers away. A Durga-themed Patachitra scroll costs Rs 6,000, while painted kurtis and other items like lanterns and t-shirts are also popular. Recently, the village held a Patachitra festival, where the village turned into 'Pat Maya,' a magical place where artists displayed their work. "Art lovers from around the world support and appreciate us," says Ajay Chitrakar. "Their love and the message of harmony keep our craft alive." The story of Nayagram’s Patachitra artists is one of resilience combining ancient traditions with modern recognition ensuring that the art form will continue to thrive for years to come.
