A row of houses, each of them an artist’s studio, adorned with intricate patachitra paintings greet visitors to Raghurajpur, a heritage art village around 10km from Puri, Odisha.
Named the Best Tourism Village 2023 by the Union ministry of tourism, Raghurajpur has been thriving on one of the oldest Indian art forms with 150-odd families carrying forward the legacy.
‘We picked up the brush before a pencil’
Senapati showing ‘patachitra’ paintings on canvas
The door to one of the houses is open and a peek inside offers a glimpse of artists at work. Among them is Swagat Senapati, who picked up the art from his ancestors. Senapati, in his mid-30s now, works at Das Handicrafts run by Narayan Das, son of National Award-winning artist Chandrasekhar Das. Senapati recalls seeing his forefathers engaged in the same artistry and being inspired by them. “From childhood, I have seen my grandfather and father painting patachitra. My father learnt it from my grandfather and my grandfather from his father. It was passed down from generation to generation. Growing up, I started showing interest in the artwork. I think I picked up the brush even before I picked up a pencil,” he said.
Every artist is a craftsman and storyteller
Patachitra on canvas depicting tales from Lord Krishna’s life
At the Das Handicrafts workshop, Senapati now trains youngsters besides working on artworks himself. During the day, he also welcomes guests visiting the village and takes them through the history and characteristics of patachitra and other art forms.
Picking up a patachitra painting depicting tales of Lord Krishna on a canvas, Senapati explains the nuances. “These are the patachitra paintings that narrate different stories from Hindu mythology. You will see each character has its own colours. These paintings look vibrant compared to the old paintings we have. This is because the old paintings were made using organic colour powders of different rocks and mixed with gum sourced from trees. Then, the finishing touch was given with natural lacquer. Now, we get readymade colours from the market,” said Senapati, picking up a nearly 60-year-old painting depicting Ramayan.
Narayan Das, owner of Das Handicrafts, spoke about the struggle of finding youngsters ready to join the business
The artist also explained that each component of a painting is made from scratch. “Our work is not just limited to drawing and painting. We prepare our canvases, mix the colours, draw, paint and then add finishing touches. A final polish is given to all paintings to make it long-lasting. The canvas is made by sticking cotton cloth one after the other and treated with chalk and gum. At the end, we even it out by rubbing it with a stone. This is the original pat. Patachitra is also done on palm leaves and tussar silk.”
Patachitra paintings narrate tales from Mahabharat, Ramayan, the life of Lord Krishna, legends of Lord Jagannath and other Hindu gods and goddesses. Each painting looks like a storyboard of a mythological story. Pointing to the same painting of Lord Krishna, Senapati said: “If you look closely, the painting has several stories of Lord Krishna in one painting. We have to ensure each character has the same colour, a certain design has to be followed for the attire. This keeps the continuity alive. One painting can take several days to finish but we have to make sure it all comes together at the end without looking patchy.”
At Raghurajpur, patachitra is now painted on several objects to make convenient and affordable souvenirs. One can see the painting on flower vases, kettles, bottles, boxes, coconut shells and even clocks. At Das Handicrafts, we spotted a wall clock made of palmyra adorned with patachitra painting. “The canvases are expensive and not many people are willing to invest in them. These canvases are purchased by art connoisseurs and art lovers, and the cost of each painting can reach lakhs. Tourists mostly like the small items that begin from Rs 100-150. We also make wedding cards now,” Senapati said.
Besides patachitra, Raghurajpur is also famous for its wooden figurines of Lord Jagannath, Balaram and Subhadra. Tribal art form can also be seen on various items. The artists also make some dokra showpieces.
Keeping up the legacy
Painted kettles and pots at Das Handicrafts and (right) ‘patachitra’ on coconut shells
Raghurajpur has turned into a tourist spot since 2000 after it was declared as Odisha's heritage crafts village by INTACH. It was also in the news when Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted the former French President Francois Hollande the ‘Tree of Life’ painting by Raghurajpur artist Bhaskar Mahapatra.
During Rath Yatra, tourists who throng Puri often pay a visit to the village. However, during Covid lockdown, the artists’ families in Raghurajpur struggled to survive. Since then, villagers are constantly evolving to carry on the legacy. “The village also suffered huge losses when Cyclone Fani hit Odisha. The artists started selling online. We also take part in art fairs now,” said Senapati.
Artist Narayan Das spoke about the struggle of finding youngsters ready to join the business. “The families now do not depend on their own children to join the business. We train other children too who are from different backgrounds but have interest in the art form. It is difficult to attract youngsters as there is not much profit but we are trying to carry on.”
Accommodation
For a luxurious stay, one can book a room at Lyfe Hotels in Bhubaneswar. It is located on Janpath Road, about 15 minutes from Bhubaneswar airport.
You can also book a room at Panthanivas Puri under the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation located on Chakratirtha Road in Puri.
