Patua Art and the Scroll Painters of Bengal

Patua art, also known as the Patachitra of Bengal, is the scroll-painting and song tradition of the Patua or Chitrakar community of West Bengal, in eastern India, notably associated with Naya village in Pingla, in the Medinipur (Midnapore) region. A patua paints a long scroll, called a jorano pot, in a sequence of scenes, and then performs it by unrolling the scroll before an audience while singing the accompanying story, known as pater gaan, the song of the scroll. The scrolls draw their themes from the epics, from folk tales and legends, and increasingly from contemporary events, and they are painted with natural colours. Readers who enjoy India’s folk and narrative painting may also explore the Madhubani painting guide. This guide describes Patua art, its community, its scrolls, its songs, its themes and its present-day place, treating this folk heritage with respect throughout.

Key Takeaways

• Patua art, the Patachitra of Bengal, is the scroll-painting and song tradition of the Patua or Chitrakar community of West Bengal.
• It is notably associated with Naya village in Pingla, in the Medinipur region.
• The patua paints a long scroll, called a jorano pot, in a sequence of scenes.
• The scroll is unrolled and performed with a sung story known as pater gaan, the song of the scroll.
• Themes are drawn from the epics, folk tales and legends and, increasingly, contemporary events.
• The scrolls are painted with natural colours in the traditional manner.

The sections below explain what Patua art is, who the Patua are, where it comes from, the jorano pot scroll, the pater gaan song, the themes and colours and why the tradition still matters.

Quick Facts

What Is Patua Art?

Patua art is the scroll-painting and song tradition of the Patua or Chitrakar community of West Bengal, in which a long painted scroll is unrolled and performed with a sung story. Also known as the Patachitra of Bengal, the tradition combines the arts of painting and music: the patua paints a scroll in a sequence of scenes and then sings the story, called pater gaan, as the scroll is slowly unrolled before an audience. The scrolls carry narratives drawn from the epics, from folk tales and legends, and increasingly from the events and issues of the present day. The art is thus both visual and performed, a painted story brought to life in song. Painted with natural colours, the scrolls belong to the folk heritage of Bengal. Their narrative sequences and songs define the tradition. Patua art is a storytelling art in paint and music. It is one of India’s great scroll-painting traditions.

Who Are the Patua or Chitrakar Community?

The Patua, also known by the surname Chitrakar, are the community of scroll-painter-singers of West Bengal who make and perform the painted scrolls of the Patua tradition. They are at once artists and musicians, painting the scrolls and then carrying them to perform the sung stories before audiences. The knowledge of the painting and of the pater gaan songs is held within the community and passed down through the generations, so that the patua is both painter and singer. Many patua are associated with villages such as Naya, in Pingla, in the Medinipur region, which is well known as a centre of the tradition. As with all folk communities and their heritage, the Patua and their traditions deserve to be treated with respect and understood within their own context. The Patua are the makers and bearers of the tradition. They carry both the art and the song. They keep the painted scrolls alive.

Where Does Patua Art Come From?

Patua art comes from West Bengal, in eastern India, and is notably associated with Naya village in Pingla, in the Medinipur (Midnapore) region, a well-known centre of the tradition. The scroll-painter-singers of the Patua community have long lived and worked in villages across the region, carrying their scrolls from place to place to perform the sung stories. Naya, in particular, has become widely known as a village of patua painters, where the tradition is kept and practised. The art is identified closely with West Bengal and with its folk culture, so that the scrolls reflect the stories, beliefs and life of the region. The land, its people and its stories give the tradition its themes and its audience. Patua art thus belongs to West Bengal and its communities. Its home gives it identity and meaning. West Bengal, and Naya in particular, is the heartland of the tradition.

What Is a Jorano Pot or Scroll?

A jorano pot is the long painted scroll of the Patua tradition, made up of a series of painted scenes joined together to tell a continuous story. The word refers to the rolled scroll, which is unrolled gradually during performance so that each scene appears in turn as the narrative unfolds. The patua paints the sequence of images, often on paper backed with cloth, and joins the sections to form a single long scroll that can be rolled up for carrying. As the scroll is opened scene by scene, the whole story is revealed in paint. The long, sequential form of the jorano pot is suited to this unrolling, storytelling use, carrying the painted narrative from beginning to end. The scroll is both an artwork and a tool for performance. Its form is shaped by its use. The jorano pot is the hallmark of the Patua tradition. It carries the story from scene to scene.

What Is Pater Gaan, the Song of the Scroll?

Pater gaan is the sung story that accompanies the painted scroll in the Patua tradition, performed by the patua as the scroll is unrolled. As each painted scene appears, the patua sings the corresponding part of the story, so that the images and the song together carry the narrative before the audience. The songs are composed and passed down within the tradition, and the patua may compose new verses, especially for scrolls dealing with contemporary events. The pater gaan turns the painted scroll into a living performance, uniting painting and music in a single storytelling art. The song is thus as essential as the painting, for the scroll is made to be sung as well as seen. The patua is both painter and singer. The song and the scroll belong together. Pater gaan is the voice of the painted story. It brings the scroll to life in performance.

What Themes Do the Scrolls Show?

The scrolls of the Patua tradition show themes drawn from the epics, from folk tales and legends, and increasingly from the events and issues of the present day. Many scrolls depict stories from the great epics and from religious and mythological narratives, while others tell folk tales, legends and moral stories from the culture of the region. A notable feature of the modern tradition is the painting of scrolls on contemporary subjects, including social issues, current events and matters of public concern, which the patua narrate in newly composed songs. This range, from ancient epic to present-day news, gives the tradition a remarkable breadth and vitality. The particular stories follow the conventions of the tradition and the choices of the patua. The themes reflect both heritage and the living world. The scrolls are a treasury of story old and new. They carry the narratives of the people and the times.

How Are the Scrolls Painted?

The scrolls of the Patua tradition are painted by hand, with the patua working a sequence of scenes along the length of the scroll to tell a continuous story. The painter composes each scene with figures, colours and bold outlines, arranging the images in the order of the narrative, so that the completed jorano pot carries the whole story from beginning to end. The style is marked by expressive figures, strong outlines and flat areas of colour, following the conventions of the tradition as passed down within the community. Because the scroll is made to be performed, the images are composed to be read in sequence as the scroll is unrolled and sung. The whole process is done by hand and relies on inherited skill and knowledge of the stories and songs. Because practices vary, methods differ between painters. The hand painting is the heart of the craft. The painted scroll is made for performance.

What Natural Colours Are Used in Patua Art?

Patua art is traditionally painted with natural colours, obtained from plants, flowers, earths, soot and other local sources before manufactured colours became more common. The patua prepares the colours from these natural materials, often binding them so that they hold to the surface of the scroll, and uses them to paint the figures, outlines and areas of colour that make up the scenes. The use of natural colours gives the scrolls their characteristic warm and earthy tones and connects the art to the materials of the land. Modern patua may also use available manufactured colours, but the natural-colour tradition is valued as part of the craft. The choice of materials follows the conventions of the tradition and the resources at hand. The natural colours give the scrolls their distinctive look. Colour is central to the art. The natural palette connects the scrolls to the land. It is part of the Patua heritage.

How Is a Patua Performance Given?

A Patua performance is given by the patua, who unrolls the long scroll before an audience and sings the story, the pater gaan, as each painted scene is revealed. Holding the scroll and opening it gradually, the patua displays each scene in turn and sings the corresponding part of the narrative, so that the images and the song together tell the story from beginning to end. The performance brings the painted scroll to life, turning a work of art into a told and sung story shared with the audience. Traditionally, the patua travelled from village to village to perform the scrolls, serving as both painter and singer. The performance is central to the tradition, for the scroll is made to be sung as well as seen. The patua carries both the art and the song. The scroll and the performance belong together. The art lives in the telling as much as in the painting.

What Role Does Patua Art Play in Bengal Culture?

Patua art plays an important role in the folk culture of West Bengal as a narrative art that carries stories, beliefs and commentary through painting and song. The scrolls and their songs transmit the epics, folk tales and legends of the region, and increasingly the events and concerns of the present day, so that the tradition serves as a living vehicle for both heritage and comment. The patua, performing the scrolls, connect the art to the audiences and communities of Bengal, sharing stories and, through contemporary scrolls, raising awareness of social issues. The tradition thus binds art, storytelling, music and public life together within the culture of the region. As a living folk tradition, it is regarded with respect and admiration. The art carries the narratives and voices of the people. Its role reaches beyond decoration into storytelling and commentary. It is woven into the folk culture of Bengal.

How Has Patua Art Addressed Contemporary Events?

Patua art has long shown a remarkable capacity to address contemporary events, with painters creating scrolls on current affairs, social issues and matters of public concern alongside the traditional epic and folk themes. Rather than being limited to ancient stories, the patua have painted and sung scrolls dealing with the events and issues of their own times, using the tradition as a means of commentary and awareness. This openness to the present day gives Patua art a living, topical quality and shows the adaptability of the tradition, which can carry new stories in its old form. The patua compose new songs to accompany such scrolls, bringing the news and concerns of the day to their audiences. This blend of the traditional and the topical is a distinctive strength of the art. Patua art speaks to the present as well as the past. It carries both heritage and comment. It remains a living, responsive tradition.

What Is the History of Patua Art?

Patua art has a long history as a folk scroll-painting and song tradition of Bengal, though its precise early origins rest on tradition rather than exact record. For generations, the Patua or Chitrakar community has painted the jorano pot scrolls and sung the pater gaan, carrying stories from the epics, folk tales and legends from village to village. Over time, the tradition came to embrace contemporary subjects as well, so that the patua narrate current events and social issues alongside the old stories. The art has drawn wider attention in more recent times as one of India’s distinctive scroll-painting traditions and as a living folk heritage of West Bengal, with villages such as Naya becoming well known as centres of the craft. Because much of the early story rests on tradition, it is best described in general terms. What is clear is that the art is long-rooted in Bengal. Its history lies in the painters and their songs.

How Does Patua Art Compare with Other Patachitra?

Patua art, the Patachitra of Bengal, shares the name Patachitra and the scroll form with other traditions, notably the Patachitra of Odisha, but it is distinguished by its scroll-and-song performance and its roots in the Patua community of Bengal. The Odisha Patachitra is chiefly a painting tradition, known for its detailed religious and mythological images, while the Bengal Patua tradition centres on the performed scroll, unrolled and sung as pater gaan. Within the broader eastern-Indian world of scroll painting, the Bengal Patua tradition also relates to other patua and scroll-painting customs of the region. Comparing these traditions shows the richness and variety of Indian narrative painting, in which each keeps its own form and identity. Patua art contributes a distinctive scroll-and-song voice. Each tradition has its own character. The Bengal Patua tradition is distinctly its own. It enriches India’s Patachitra and scroll-painting heritage.

Does Patua Art Have a GI Tag?

Patua art, the Patachitra of Bengal, is recognised as a distinctive folk scroll-painting and song tradition of West Bengal, valued as part of the region’s rich cultural heritage. Bengal Patachitra has drawn Geographical Indication interest as a craft identified with the state and its Chitrakar community. Because the particulars of any such tag, including its exact scope and current status, can change over time, the details are best confirmed with the official Geographical Indications Registry and the relevant state authorities, and should be checked rather than assumed. Whatever the formal position, the tradition is clearly and strongly identified with the Patua painters and villages such as Naya. Recognition and heritage interest help protect the art and sustain its makers. They also encourage the appreciation and buying of genuine work. The bond between the art and its community remains central to its identity.

How Can You Buy or Support Patua Art?

Patua art can be bought and supported through recognised handicraft emporiums, cooperatives, cultural institutions, folk-art fairs and reputable sources that offer the work of genuine Patua painters, as well as directly from painters in villages such as Naya. A genuine scroll or painting is made by hand by a patua, showing the characteristic figures, bold outlines and natural colours of the tradition, and many patua also make smaller paintings and products alongside the long scrolls. Buyers can ask about the painter and the village, learn about the stories and songs, and treat the art with the respect due to its cultural meaning. Buying from recognised sources and known painters helps income reach the makers and supports the community. Careful and respectful buying rewards genuine craftsmanship. It secures a true piece of Bengal’s folk heritage. It also supports the scroll painters of the region and helps keep the tradition alive.

Patua Art Today

Patua art today remains a living tradition of West Bengal and one of India’s best-known scroll-painting traditions, treasured for its painted scrolls, its sung stories and its remarkable openness to both ancient epic and present-day events. Painters of the Patua community, notably in villages such as Naya, continue to paint and perform their scrolls, while the art also reaches new audiences through exhibitions, fairs and growing interest in folk art. Heritage recognition and the sale of scrolls, paintings and products have brought the tradition wider attention and new markets for the makers. At the same time, the tradition faces real challenges, including changing audiences for live performance, fair returns for painters and the need to pass on the painting and the songs to new generations. Readers can support the tradition by choosing genuine work through recognised sources. Patua art endures as a storytelling art in paint and song. Its scrolls keep the stories of Bengal alive.

Sources & Further Reading

• Ministry of Culture, Government of India (indiaculture.gov.in).
• Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India (handicrafts.nic.in).
• Geographical Indications Registry, Government of India (ipindia.gov.in).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Patua art?

Patua art, also known as the Patachitra of Bengal, is the scroll-painting and song tradition of the Patua or Chitrakar community of West Bengal. The patua paints a long scroll, called a jorano pot, and unrolls it while singing the story, known as pater gaan. The scrolls draw on the epics, folk tales and contemporary events and are painted with natural colours.

Who are the Patua or Chitrakar community?

The Patua, also known by the surname Chitrakar, are the scroll-painter-singers of West Bengal who make and perform the painted scrolls of the tradition. They are both artists and musicians, and many are associated with villages such as Naya in Pingla, in the Medinipur region, a well-known centre of the craft. The knowledge is passed down through the generations.

What is pater gaan?

Pater gaan is the sung story that accompanies the painted scroll in the Patua tradition. As each painted scene appears while the scroll is unrolled, the patua sings the corresponding part of the story, so that the images and the song together carry the narrative. The patua may compose new verses, especially for scrolls on contemporary events.

What themes do Patua scrolls show?

Patua scrolls show themes drawn from the epics, from folk tales and legends, and increasingly from contemporary events and social issues. This range, from ancient epic to present-day news narrated in newly composed songs, gives the tradition a remarkable breadth and a living, topical quality.

Does Patua art have a GI tag?

Patua art, the Patachitra of Bengal, is recognised as a distinctive folk tradition of West Bengal and has drawn Geographical Indication interest. Because the exact scope and current status of such tags can change over time, the details are best confirmed with the official Geographical Indications Registry and the relevant state authorities.

How can I buy authentic Patua art?

Authentic Patua art can be bought from recognised handicraft emporiums, cooperatives, cultural institutions and folk-art fairs, or directly from painters in villages such as Naya. A genuine piece is made by hand by a patua, showing the characteristic figures, bold outlines and natural colours of the tradition. Buying from known painters helps support the community.