Pattachitra is a general term for traditional, cloth based Scroll painting, based in the

eastern Indian state of Orissa. In the Sanskrit language, "Patta" means "cloth" and
"Chitra" means "picture". Most of these paintings depict stories of Hindu
deities.
The painting the 'Pattachitra' resemble the old murals of Orissa especially religious
centres of Puri, Konark and Bhubaneshwar region, dating back to the 5th century
BC. The best work is found in and around Puri, especially in the village of
Raghurajpur.
In the past, there was no distinction between the master painters and master
sculptors So the possibility of a simultaneous origin of painting and sculptural art in
Orissa cannot be ruled out. Even today in Orissa, these two crafts are combined in
one and these artists and known as Chitrakars, their title remains mostly Mohapatra
or Maharana. There exist a good number of paintings from 18th century onwards in
many temples and Mathas especially in the southern districts of Orissa. Lord
Jagannath in the present from is being taken as the origin of the Patta style. The
colour schemes of the deities of Puri are quite similar to those of the Patta style.
These paintings were originally substitutes for worship on days when the Temple
doors were shut for the 'ritual bath' of the deity.
Pattachitra paintings depict various themes. The themes may be classified into
following categories:

Jagannath paintings
Vaishnav Paintings
Bhagabat paintings
Ramayana paintings
Saiva paintings
Shakta paintings
Paintings on legends
o Ragachitras
o Bandhachitra
o Yamapati and yatripatas (sketches of puri temple)
o Ganjapa playing card paintings
other socials themes on paintings.

Traditionally the painters are known as chitrakars. A patta painter's home with all the
members of family is his studio. Woman members prepare the glue, the canvas and
apply colours what we call the filling, and give the final lacquer coating. The master
hand, mostly the male member, draws the initial line and gives the final finishing.
Patta paintings are done on small strips of cotton cloth. The canvas is prepared by
coating the clothe with a mixture of chalk and gum made from tamarind seeds. Then
it is rubbed by taking the help of two different stones and then the cloth is dried. The
mixture of gum and chalk gives the cloth's surface a leathery finish on which the
artists paint with vegetable, earth and stone colours. The painters do not use pencil
or charcoal for the preliminary drawings. They are so expert in the line that they
simply draw directly with the brush either in light red or yellow. Then the colours are

filled in. The final lines are drawn and the patta is given a lacquer coating to protect it
from weather, thus making the painting glossy. This process of glazing or varnishing
is quite interesting. The painting is held over a fireplace so that the back of the
painting is exposed to heat. On the surface of the painting fine lacquer is applied.
This old tradition of Oriya painting still survives in the places like Puri, Raghurajpur,
Paralakhemundi, Chikiti and Sonepur The art of Pattachitra has made a slow
progress from the temple premises to the walls of drawing rooms and lounges of big
hotels, restaurants & guest houses. The theme of the paintings has also upgraded.
With the passage of time other themes also started to take prominent places in Patta
Chitra. In addition to the stories from Ramayan and Mahabharat, new themes on
Lord Buddha, Jainism and important historical events are also find place in
pattachitras. Now a day Pattachitra has become a collector items.