Pattachitra

The pattachitra is more than 1000-year-old and is one of the most popular art forms of Odisha. The name Pattachitra has evolved from the Sanskrit words patta, meaning cloth, and chitra, meaning picture. Pattacitra paintings are closely related to Lord Jagannath, an avatar of Lord Krishna of Puri, Odisha. Traditionally Pattachitra paintings are inspired by Hindu mythology specifically from Jagannath and Vaishnava cult.

Pattachitra paintings have very extraordinary designs and they are very rich in colors. This art form uses completely natural ingredients such as sea-shells smoke collected by heating earthen plates over a candle, green leaves, green stones, Hingula stone, Harital, Khandaneela to get desired colors.