Patachitra is one of the most important art forms of Bengal, showcasing mythology and ecology through a myriad of rich colours. Not many know that the Sunderbans were once a hub for patachitra, before time led to its steady decline in the past few decades.
The Kolkata Society for Cultural Heritage (KSCH) has been working to revive the roots of patachitra in the Sunderbans, training women in this ancient art for the past two years. The General Post Office (GPO) Kolkata and KSCH joined hands to inaugurate a commemorative special postal cover and stamp, recognising this resurrection of patachitra in the Sunderbans, on May 14.
In attendance were IPS Sanjiv Rajan, postmaster-general of Kolkata region, and Milan Mandal, the divisional forest officer of South 24-Parganas forest division. The bureaucrats lauded KSCH for its work in reviving a lost art form, and imbibing it within women of the region to help them generate additional income.
Postmaster-general of Kolkata Sanjiv Rajan and (right) DFO South 24-Parganas Milan Mandal received ‘patachitra’ paintings made by the women of Sunderbans.
Rajan expressed joy at being a part of the inauguration, congratulating KSCH for the initiative, and encouraging it to continue with the good work. “While speaking about the Sunderbans, we generally think only about tigers. But it has so many folklores, and such rich cultural heritage that we are on the brink of losing. When KSCH told me about its vision to revive patachitra, I knew this would be transformative,” said Mandal, adding that this initiative has also reduced human conflict with the wild.
The event coincided with KSCH’s 11th anniversary and this special cover will be made accessible worldwide. This honour is a recognition of the value that patachitra holds. It is a traditional, cloth-based form of scroll painting, which is indigenous not just to West Bengal but also Odisha and Bangladesh. It is often used to convey mythological narratives, folktales and integral elements of daily life lived amidst nature.
The commemorative stamp talks about KSCH’s work over the past 11 years while showcasing the beauty of patachitra.
KSCH president Arpita Mukherjee also shared how the rich history of patachitra in the Sunderbans was discovered through extensive research documents and data from the National Library. “This initiative won’t just be restricted to paintings. Women will be able to use patachitra to earn their livelihood through a variety of mediums like T-shirts and merchandise. It will truly help in women empowerment,” she said.
Last month, KSCH hosted an exhibition of 50 paintings and two long scrolls created by 40 women from Jharkhali over the past six months.