Patachitra, a cherished traditional art form originating from Bengal, garners admiration from art enthusiasts globally owing to its effortless depiction characterized by vibrant drawings, harmonious colors, fluid lines, and adept utilization of space. The term “Pata” finds its roots in the Sanskrit word “Patta,” denoting cloth, while the artists practicing this craft are known as “Patuas.” Beyond mere brushstrokes, Patuas intertwine their artistry with melody, serenading their audience with “Pater Gaan” as they unveil their scroll paintings. These songs span a broad spectrum, encompassing traditional mythological narratives, tribal rituals, as well as contemporary themes such as environmental conservation and public health issues like HIV/AIDS prevention. References to Patachitra can be traced back in ancient scriptures, epics, literary works, and historical accounts. The painting style bears resemblance to the ancient cave art of Mohenjodaro, Harappa, and Ajanta, with mentions of “Patuas” and “Chitrakars” dating back over 2500 years in literary records. Some scholars speculate that “Patashilpa” originally stemmed from the artistic traditions of the Santhals, a tribal community. Patuas predominantly employ natural pigments sourced from a variety of trees, leaves, flowers, and clays in their artworks.

Red (Segun/Teak):

• The fresh leaves of the Segun tree are carefully chosen and plucked.
• After plucking, the leaves undergo crushing, and their vibrant color is extracted in a coconut shell.
• The extracted color is then left to dry under the sun before incorporating natural glue sourced from wood apples.

Blue (Aparajita):

• Flourishing as a creeper, the blue flower, aptly named ‘Lady who cannot be defeated’, has its petals delicately plucked.
• Petals can either be directly rubbed onto paper for color transfer or crushed within a coconut shell and mixed with gum to form a paste.

White (Kusum Mati):

• Only the whitest stones of Kusum Mati clay are utilized for producing its distinctive white hue.
• These stones are collected and rubbed onto a plain surface, forming a white paste.
• The resulting paste is then collected, stored, and left to dry, with a touch of gum added to ensure adhesion to scrolls.

Red (Pan/Betel leaf, Chun/Lime, Khayer/Catechu):

• Sourced mainly from markets, the ingredients for red dye are crushed together to extract their color.
• The extracted color is then sun-dried in a coconut shell before the addition of natural gum.

Green (Kundri):

• The leaves of Kundri undergo crushing with a pestle to create the green paint.
• Extracted color is collected in a coconut shell and sun-dried before the addition of natural glue.

Yellow (Turmeric):

• Turmeric roots, known for their vibrant yellow hue, are crushed into small pieces using a pestle.
• The resulting pieces are squeezed to extract yellow juice, which is collected in a coconut shell and left to dry before gum is added for stability.

Brown (Teak/Segun):

• Matured leaves of the Segun tree are gathered and processed by removing stalks and crushing them.
• The extracted color is then sun-dried before the introduction of natural gum.

Black (Soot):

• Traditionally sourced from oil lamps, cooking fires, burnt rice grains, or burning bamboo, modern methods involve scraping soot from lorry exhaust pipes.
• Collected soot is stored in a plastic bag for further use.