PATTA CHITRA
Also Called : Patta Paintings
Besides mural paintings, we get miniature paintings, which
are called Patta Chitras. Pattas are now used as wall hangings. The
subject matter of Patta paintings is limited to religious themes. The
stories of Rama and Krishna are usually depicted on the Pattas. "Rasa
Lila", "Vastra Haran", "Kaliya Dalan" are some of
the recurring themes of Patta art.
Patta Chitras of Lord Jagannatha, Balabhadra and Subhadra, the Navagrahas
and the deities are also famous. In some parts of Orissa,
during marriage ceremonies, Patta Chitras of Durga and Mahadeva are used.
The present generation of Patta painters paint in the style of the
oleography on the walls of big temple.
Patta paintings are so called because they are executed on silken hand
woven both. They are painted with bright colours and possess a charm
peculiarly their own. Their pictorial conceptions, their unique painting
technique and line formations together with colour schemes make them a
remarkably original art form that is distinct from any other school of
painting either in or outside India.
