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Pattachitra Painting of Life of Shri Ram (Ramayana)

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$1210

श्री राम रामेति रामेति रमे रामे मनोरमे ।
सहस्रनाम तत्तुल्यं रामनाम वरानने ॥

“Chanting the name of Rama, the mind becomes devoted to Him, the omnipresent one. Rama’s name is equivalent to a thousand names or Vishnu Sahasranama.”

The might of Sri Rama, his exemplary life, and the saga of Ramayana is a timeless essence of India, which is no less than the soul of our culture. Sri Rama’s life is the journey of Dharma, across obstacles, ups, and downs, to the ultimate victory that awaits the good and virtuous.

In the classical idiom of Orissa’s Pattachitra, artist Rabi Behra brings Rama-Katha to life, using minimal colors and enchanting motifs. Pattachitra is the folk-art form of Orissa, which originated as story-scroll artwork. And what better to reign the canvas of Pattachitra than the greatest legend ever?

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Item Code:	WRB005
Artist:	Rabi Behera
Specifications:	Paata painting from OrissaARTIST:RABI BEHERA
Dimensions	36 inch Height X 60 inch Width
Weight:	300 gm

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The center of the canvas is animated by the scene of Rama Pattabhishekam or coronation of Sri Rama, which is the culmination of the events of Ramayana. On the upper section of this frame are the Dashavatara or ten incarnations of Sri Vishnu, while the lower section is adorned by heavenly feminine forms. Around the central imagery, episodes of Ramayana have been hand-painted by the artist with immaculate detailing. Each expression and posture, though stylized, carries a sense of animation that brings forth the drama and didactics of Ramayana. The ornamentation uses ethnic motifs on the border and in the space between the different frames speaking for the focus of Pattachitra artists, who tediously fill in the whole canvas to craft awe-inspiring masterpieces.

Mastering the Ancient Technique: Exploring the Meticulous Creation of Pattachitra Paintings

The traditional Pattachitra is a scroll painting that is done on cloth. This is revealed in the name; Pattachitra is a Sanskrit term made from two words i.e. Patta meaning cloth and Chitra meaning picture. The main subject of this painting is portraying Hindu mythological narratives, scenes from religious texts, and folktales. Pattachitra paintings are especially practiced in eastern Indian states such as West Bengal and Odisha, and also in some parts of Bangladesh. This art form is closely related to Shri Jagannath and the tradition of the Vaishnava sect. It is believed that Pattachitra art originated in the 11th century and the people of Odisha practice it even today without any discrepancy. Bengalis use these scroll paintings for ritual purposes (as a visual device) during the performance of a song or Aarti.

Pattachitra paintings are characterized by creative and traditional motifs/designs, decorative borders, and bright colorful applications. The outline of the figure and motifs are bold and sharp. Some common shapes and motifs seen in these paintings are trees, flowers, leaves, elephants, and other creatures. The artists of Odisha and Bengal still use the traditional method of painting which gives a unique look to it altogether.

1. Canvas is prepared

The process of painting a Pattachitra begins by preparing the canvas (patta). Generally, cotton cloth is used for making the canvas. The local artists dip the cotton cloth in a mixture of tamarind seeds and water for a few days. The cloth is then taken out and dried in the sun. Now natural gum is applied over it to stick another layer of cotton cloth on it. Thus a thick layer of cotton cloth is formed. This layered cotton is sun-dried and a paste of chalk powder, tamarind, and gum is applied on both sides. The surface of the cloth is then rubbed with two different stones for smoothening and it is again dried. This process gives the cloth a leathery finish and it is now ready to be painted.

2. Natural colors are made using traditional method

The painters prepare and use vegetable and mineral colors for application in the painting. White color is made from conch shells, black is made by burning coconut shells, Hingula is used for red color, Ramaraja for blue, and Haritala for yellow.

3. Colors are filled in

The artist now makes a double-lined border on all four sides of the canvas. The local artists are so expert in painting that they do not draw figures and motifs with pencil but directly draw them with a brush. The paint brushes that the painters use are made of the hair of domestic animals, a bunch of which is tied to the end of a bamboo stick. The figures are now painted with natural colors using the indigenous brushes. The outline is thickened with black color.

4. Painting is given a finishing

Finally, the painting is varnished/glazed to protect it from any damage and to get a glossy shine on the surface.

The making of a Pattachitra is laborious work and therefore, one painting may sometimes take over a month to complete. Due to their classical look, these paintings are admired by people from all over the world. The artistic skills used in Pattachitra are passed down from one generation to another and thus are preserved to date.