Patta Chitra Painting

The word Patta Chitra is derived from Sanskrit word Patta, which means a painted piece of cloth, a tablet or a plate. Chitra means painting or picture. The paintings are done on specially prepared cotton cloth, which is coated with a mixture of gum and chalk and is polished , before applying natural colors. Craftsmen carve effigies out of wood and paint them in vivid, primary colors. Bright altars for the homes of devotees are nailed together with a jeweller's care, and then painted. The paper on which  the pattachitras are painted is specially prepared using a paste made of tamarind seeds and powdered chalk. This makes it parchment - tough. Using delicate brushes , the fine outlines of the paintings are drawn. These are then filled in with colors to create pictures from the epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana.

The paintings are done on specially prepared cotton cloth,which is coated with a mixture of gum and chalk.