Summary
Naya is a small village in the Midnapore district of West Bengal that is home to around 250 patuas (also called chitrakaars), who are folk artists practising the ancient art of Pata Chitra. These multi-talented artists are painters, lyricists, singers, and performers all rolled into one. Pata Chitra is a unique form of storytelling through painted scrolls, where the artists sing the story as they unroll the scroll. This art form has been practised since the 13th century.
Traditionally, the story tellers carried their painted scrolls from village to village, unrolling them frame by frame while singing pater gaan (story songs). Villagers rewarded them with rice, vegetables, and money. Their stories originally covered mythological tales and tribal folklore, but now also include social messages and contemporary events.
Over time, interest in Pata Chitra declined. To revive their art, the patuas adapted their skills and themes to modern times and established a patachitra village at Naya. Today, the art form is flourishing again, with village youngsters taking it up as both a passion and a profession.
A traditional pata was painted on a canvas made of jute fibre. Nowadays, it is made by stitching together sheets of commercial poster paper. The colours are derived from natural sources such as marigold, indigo, teak leaves, saffron, and turmeric, along with lamp black. These colours are mixed in coconut shells using the sap of the bael tree (wood apple) as a natural glue. A thin cotton cloth is glued to the back for durability, and the completed scrolls are dried in the sun before being stored in rolled-up bundles.
Modern patuas create rectangular and square-shaped paintings with social messages like conservation of trees, female infanticide, child-trafficking, and AIDS awareness, alongside traditional subjects such as cats eating lobsters or fish, tigers, rows of cows, and white owls.
The patachitra tradition, once passed only from father to son, now includes many patua women who have taken up the craft. Under the initiative 'Art for Livelihood', some women are leading local development efforts.
Since 2010, the annual three-day festival Pot Maya has been held every November to celebrate the success of local artists. The festival exhibits modern paintings and scrolls dating back hundreds of years. During the festival, villagers paint their mud walls with colourful patachitra motifs, hang scrolls on ropes in courtyards, and decorate the village with flowers. Visitors stay in tents since there are no hotels. Workshops, storytelling sessions, musical and dance performances, and demonstrations on natural colour extraction make the festival a vibrant cultural event.
Themes
- Preservation of Folk Art: The central theme of the lesson is the preservation and revival of the ancient art form of Pata Chitra. Despite declining interest over the centuries, the patuas of Naya have successfully kept their tradition alive by adapting to modern times.
- Adaptation and Innovation: The patuas demonstrated remarkable adaptability by changing their themes from purely mythological stories to contemporary social messages, and by shifting from jute fibre canvases to poster paper, ensuring the survival of their art form.
- Cultural Heritage and Identity: The lesson highlights how art forms are integral to cultural identity. The village of Naya has become synonymous with Pata Chitra, and the art has become both a passion and a profession for villagers.
- Community and Collective Effort: The establishment of a patachitra village and the annual Pot Maya festival showcase how collective community effort can revive a dying art form and bring economic sustenance.
- Women Empowerment: The 'Art for Livelihood' initiative and the participation of patua women in the craft highlight the theme of gender equality and women's empowerment in preserving traditional arts.
- Sustainability and Nature: The use of natural colours from plants and organic materials reflects the sustainable practices of the patuas, connecting art to nature.
Literary Devices and Writing Techniques
- Descriptive Writing: The author uses vivid descriptions to bring the art form and the village to life, such as "The play of light and shadow from the oil lamps on the soft colours and delicate imagery of the paintings is magical."
- Informative Tone: The passage adopts a factual, informative tone typical of non-fiction supplementary reading, presenting details about the history, process, and cultural significance of Pata Chitra.
- Chronological Narration: The text follows a chronological structure, moving from the ancient origins (13th century) to the traditional practice, to the decline, and finally to the modern revival.
- Sensory Imagery: Phrases like "watching a patua singing gently as he or she unfurls the scrolls" and "the play of light and shadow from oil lamps" appeal to the senses of sight and sound.
- Persuasive Conclusion: The passage ends with an invitation to the reader: "If you are interested in traditional art and crafts, do visit this unique village," using a persuasive and encouraging tone.
Key Elements Analysis
- The Patuas (Chitrakaars): The folk artists of Naya who are multi-talented -- they paint, write lyrics, sing, and perform. They represent the resilience and adaptability of traditional artists in a changing world.
- Naya Village: Located in the Midnapore district of West Bengal, this "quaint little village" is the setting of the story and has become a cultural landmark due to the patachitra tradition.
- Patua Women: They represent the changing dynamics of the art form. Once a male-dominated tradition passed from father to son, the inclusion of women artists through the 'Art for Livelihood' initiative marks a progressive shift.
- The Pot Maya Festival: An annual three-day celebration held since 2010 in November that showcases the art, attracts visitors, and sustains the cultural heritage of the community.
Process of Making a Pata
- Stitch together multiple sheets of commercial poster paper (traditionally, jute fibre canvas was used).
- Paint on the canvas to create the artwork.
- Mix plant-based colours (marigold, indigo, teak leaves, saffron, turmeric) and lamp black in coconut shells.
- Use the sap of the bael tree (wood apple) as a natural glue for binding colours.
- Glue a thin cotton cloth to the back of the painting for durability.
- Dry the completed scrolls in the sun.
- Store them in rolled-up bundles.
Glossary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Quaint | Attractively unusual or old-fashioned |
| Patuas / Chitrakaars | Folk artists who practise the art of Pata Chitra; painters and storytellers |
| Pata Chitra | An ancient folk art of storytelling using painted scrolls |
| Pater Gaan | Story songs sung by the patuas while displaying their painted scrolls |
| Scrolls | Long rolls of paper or canvas with paintings on them |
| Mythological | Related to myths and legends of gods and heroes |
| Folklore | Traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community |
| Contemporary | Belonging to the present time; modern |
| Innovative | Introducing new ideas or methods; creative |
| Flourishing | Developing rapidly and successfully; thriving |
| Pata | A traditional painted canvas or scroll |
| Jute Fibre | A natural plant fibre used to make canvas in traditional times |
| Bael Tree | Wood apple tree whose sap is used as a natural adhesive |
| Lamp Black | A black pigment made from soot |
| Infanticide | The killing of an infant |
| Pot Maya | An annual three-day festival held at Naya since 2010 to celebrate patachitra art |
| Hamlet | A small village or settlement |
| Unfurls | Unrolls; opens something that is rolled up |
| Motifs | Decorative designs or patterns |
| Revive | To bring back to life or restore to use |