DROWNING PATACHITRA ART OF MURSHIDABAD DISTRICT: A HISTORICAL REVIEW (ধ্বংস প্রায় মুর্শিদাবাদ জেলার পটচিত্র : একটি ঐতিহাসিক আলেখ্য)

Abstract

From the medival period of Indian history, Murshidabad district bears the tradition of heterogenerous character. Murshidabad district is lying between 23°43’N and 24°52’ N latitude and 87°49’E and 88°44’ E longitude. It is situated on the left bank of Ganges and gradually becoming most populated district. The census of India, district census handbook of Murshidabad series disclosed a remarkable issue that 66.3% of Islam community and 33.2% Hindu by religion. From the long past Murshidabad district has a traditional and mythological heritage. The word pata is derived from the Sanskrit word patta that means clothes or cotton clothes. A probe into the folk culture of Bengal, particularly a peep within the patachitra tradition reveals that cloth painting was widely practiced. Traditionally, pata means a distinct style of painting either on paper or cloth. At one time patas were painted on jute based, the base was made plain by adding mud, clay and dung and after having dried paintings were done on them. Patachitra is a traditional painting of Bankura, Purulia, Birbhum, and Murshidabad district of West Bengal. It is based on Hindu mythology. Kalighat patachitra is inspired by kali and Hindu Brahmana sect. All colours used in painting on pata are natural and paintings are made completely old traditional way by patua or Patachitrakars in Murshidabad district. The Patachitra painting follows a traditional process of preparation of canvas. First the base is prepared by coating the sackcloth with the soft, white, stone, powder of chalks and glue made from tamarind seeds. The tools used in the process of painting are brush, locally known tuli, container, matka etc. The themes of the patas of Murshidabad district are historical, social reformative, religious and secular. Patuas or Patachitrakars are now in very bad condition both from socially and economically. Patachitrakars of Murshidabad district reveals the social issues like polio, malaria, B.C.G vaccine, traffic rules etc on their Patas. like Anu Patua, Kanchan Chitrakar, Basudev Mandal, Birinchi Patua are struggling their lives with patachitra and till are trying to vitalize this traditional art.