[Reader-list] Patta Chitra Katha?

[Prem Chandavarkar]

On the route from Bhubaneswar to Puri, just a little before you reach Puri,
is a turning toward a village called Raghurajpur.  There is a sign at the
highway marking this turn, which identifies Raghurajpur as a "heritage
village".  This village is full of craftsmen from the tradition of patta
chitra katha; and if you go there they will allow you into their homes and
seek to sell you their wares.  They are also quite willing to talk about and
demonstrate their craft (unless you are fluent in the language, you will
need an Oriya interpreter).

However, one should be warned that the craft has not remained within the
traditional idiom.  Firstly the work now is more on paper than on cloth.
Secondly they use chemical pigments rather than the traditional vegetable
pigments; as a result of which the colours are far more garish.  However, if
you are patient and willing to spend some time going from house to house,
you will come across some pieces of spectacular work.  You will also come
across a few old pieces on cloth done using vegetable pigments.

Regards,
Prem

2008/11/16 Kath O'Donnell <aliak77 at gmail.com>

> hi, would anyone here know of any info about Patta Chitra Katha? I
> just saw a video which is apparently based on this ancient technique :
> http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=43962506411
> is this still being practiced or are there any studies on it?
>
> via google I've found the links collected here :
>
> http://www.aliak.com/content/patta-chitra-katha-traditional-folk-art-storytelling-using-visual-language
>
> I'll keep searching, but I thought perhaps someone on this list might
> have come across it. does Chitra Katha mean Flim Contest?
> thanks in advance
> kath
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