35 Alankarlagi: The finer details are painted. Increasingly fine ornaments are then added to the painting known as Rangalekha. The lines used in the paintings are extremely smooth and fine, which results in a variety of lovely artistic patterns. With the aid of charcoal or chalk, jewels, clothing, lips, eyes, eyebrows, and other features are painted. The chitrakars outline the face, body, clothing, and embellishments with delicate dark lines known as Motakala. The garments are given lines and patterns, and the eyes are painted. The final areas that require fine, black lines are examined. At this point, the compositions begin to take on life, the figures begin to take on schematics and articulations, and the tones start to adorn the pieces. The border of a picture is just as significant as the main subject. The borders of paintings frequently use double lines. The inner border of the painting is typically narrower and features a leaf-and-scroll motif more frequently than the outer border, which frequently features a floral theme. Most of the positions are clearly defined, and repeating them in a certain way gives them an intriguing aesthetic appeal. The absence of any depth or perspective visualisation in pattachitra is one of its key characteristics. Although paattachitra is a two-dimensional art style, the use of bold, rhythmic lines and vibrant colours gives the painting an astonishing three-dimensional appeal. Fig.48 Fig.49 Fig.45 Dhandimara process Fig.46 Tippana Fig.47 Hingula Banaka Fig. 48&49 Alankarlagi
36 Designs and Motifs: Motifs The traditional stylistic elements of flowers and leaves provide a more fashionable incentive for craftsmanship. Red, green, yellow, dull blue, white, and orange are common colors that are used to describe the many elements of the artistic creation. The motifs employed by artists are typically derived from flowers bel, which can be altered, and created into a variety of shapes, these beads are usually thin, but some components of the organic natural world always attach to them. The choice of motif and its growth, according to craftsmen, depends on the theme of the painting. For example, if the painting is a krishnapatti (Painting of Lord Krishna), The most common motif in patta paintings will be Krishna in his many poses, uninteresting occupations, and stories from his life. Radha is typically by his side in the smaller paintings. Bala Gopala or Balakrishna, a painting of Krishna as a little child, is also being painted and the borders and motifs will be more organic and comprise peacock feathers. We can observe the utilization of motifs on various objects, such as Papier Mache bottles, metal plates, Kettle, dynamic flower petal forms, and shapes are used to make them more aesthetically pleasing and appealing. The god is typically the major subject of a painting. Many works of art that depict any of the stories associated with Lord Jagannath—one of Vishnu’s ten avatars—use various combinations of faces as their primary motif. Lord Jagannath can be referred to as the major focus of the jatripatti, and the main motif of the entire pattachitra. Simple repeated strokes make up the main borders of the temples and raths depicted in jatripatti. The paintings’ costumes display Mughal and Rajasthani influences, while paintings of Rajasthani miniatures have an impact on the designs and decorative themes. Its overall delicacy and rhythmic arrangement of parts give it its distinctiveness. There are countless ways to combine and permute patterns in motifs. In pattachitra, two different motifs are combined and alternately repeated. Simple reputation and dynamic repetition are both extensively used in painting. Pattern & Repetition of motifs There can be innumerable ways of permutation and combination of patterns and motifs in pattachitra for e.g., combining two different motifs, alternatively, repetition, simple repetition, and dynamic repetition, are very commonly used in these paintings.
37 Pattachitra canvas paintings - Canvas paintings are generally based on- shiv Puranas, Ganesh Purana, Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata. Artists read and visualize scene and then whole paintings are created, it needs a thorough understanding of Mythology and the use of imagination and skill which comes from years of practice Adi Shankaracharya Canvas paintings are a great way to show scenes which based on events. Artisans painted the life of Adi Shankacharya. Shankaracharya was referred as founder of sanatan dharma and a prolific writer of advait vedanta which was his great contribution and teachings for living life. Fig.50 Fig.51 Fig.52 Fig. 53 Fig. 54 Fig. 55 Fig. 56 Fig. 55 Fig. 50 Simple repetition of motif Fig. 51 Alternative repetation of motif Fig. 52 Dynamic repetition of motif Fig. 53 Example of old Pattachitra made from tuli Fig. 54 Combination of alternative and simple motif border Fig. 55 Organic alternative repetition Fig. 56 Simple floral repetition Fig. 57 Aadi Shankracharya canvas painting
38 MOTIF STUDY
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40 The symbolism of colors: When choosing colours for God and Goddess motifs, the artisans closely adhere to the Hindu sastras and Puranas. The Gods are typically painted white, whereas all goddesses are typically painted yellow. However, when one deity or goddess is depicted in a single painting, they are coloured in accordance with the description provided by the Hindu scriptures. For instance, Ganesha is always painted white or off-white, Ram is always painted light blue, and Saraswati is always painted white. The goddesses Mangala, Radha, and occasionally Sita are painted yellow to signify their fairness, while Balabhadra, is painted white, Lord Jagannath in black and Devi Subhadra in yellow also the goddesses Lakshmi and Sabitri are invariably painted white. With a few exclusions, the artist is free to use his judgement when it comes to colour palettes for the deities’ clothing. For instance, renouncers of the material world like rishis and sanyasis typically dress in ochre or orange. Pitta basana, a yellow cloth, is constantly connected to Krishna. Since Ramachandra is seen as a different Vishnu avatar, like Krishna, yellow is typically the colour of his attire. Shiva’s clothing has dark brown or black patches, just as the Hindu texts claim that Shiva wore tiger skin. Typically, Brahma and Vishnu wear whitecoloured clothing. However, in Hindu mythology, all male deities are shown as having only the long, folded cloth known as the uttari on their shoulders for the upper half of their bodies. Except for Bramha and Vishnu, who are never portrayed without an uttari, there is no set colour scheme for the uttari. Almost all court personnel in a court scenario are often wearing white clothing. Fig. 59 Fig. 58 Fig. 58 Pattachitra painting of Lord Krishna Fig. 59 Krishna-leels pattachitra painting Fig. 60 Artisan sitting on the threshold of his door
41 Socio Economic aspects: Three factions, or badas, called Jagannath bada, Balabhadra or Badathakura bada (meaning “eldest deity”) bada, and Subhadra bada make up Chitrakara society. Each group’s members, led by a different chief, are in charge of caring for their respective deities. They do this by, among other things, providing the appropriate anasara pattis, colouring the images of the deities and their Raths for the Rath Yatra, and painting the deities as needed throughout the year. In the Chitrakara community, the craft also has a direct influence on marriage. In the past, marriage was prohibited outside of Puri town in order to protect the sacred integrity of the art. Over time, even though marital relations were established outside of Puri, Patta painting expertise was seen as one of the key factors in choosing a partner. The fact that patta painting is a family or household art is one of the key characteristics defining the craft’s distinctiveness. Each step in the patta painting process is completed by a different member of the same household. Regardless of gender, every Chitrakara family member helps with the painting project under the direction of the family head or senior adult male member. The Chitrakara family has a tradition of preparing all the major painting supplies, including the canvas, paint, brushes, and other materials. The village also houses educational facilities including the Higher Secondary School and Angan Wadi Kendra. The artists are a nuclear family and reside in Pukka homes. Some of them have attended elementary school as earlier they were not motivated to learn and it was up to them if they want to study but nowadays people want to educate their children at the same time want them to continue this tradition of Pattachitra making as Improved education also makes it possible for painters to read books and periodicals to expand their understanding of Hindu mythology and other material needed for painting. The craft is passed down from generation to generation. The learning of this skill follows the custom of “Guru-Shishya Parampara” (Teacher and student tradition), where experienced generally older and master artisans recruit 5 to 7 children from the village to teach them the art of drawing. Traditionally, resembles hobby classes. Modern markets are more competitive, which leads to difficulties between Chitrakaras as well as with artists from other caste groups, which affects their social interactions. Other profession: Some artists engage in other traditional crafts including palm leaf engraving, beetle nut Fig. 60
42 year. As per Hindu ideology, patta painting upholds temple ceremonies. Patta painting, in addition to the Jatripattis, has other religious importance. The religious setting not only dominates the aesthetic aspect of the art and the artist’s artistic ability, but it also becomes a significant source of income for the entire community of artists. However, religious views are supported, popularised, and promoted by art. A symbiotic relationship between art and religion so emerges. Fig.61 Fig. 61 Display of paper mache on wall of artisans house Fig. 62 An artisan sitting in his shop and his artwork on coconut shell (Right page) painting, coconut shell painting, and papiermache work as well as sole proprietorshipstyle businesses. Crafts including cow-dung toys, wooden toys, stone carvings, papiermache, and coconut shell painting are produced by members of other castes. The residents in this area primarily work in the crafts they enjoy; in addition, they also engage in farming. But craft painting is the primary source of income. Significance India places a great deal of importance on the traditional painting technique known as Pattachitra. It mainly showcased the rituals and religious traditions of the Vaishanav sect. Even today, paintings, bookmarks, wall and door hangings, purses, and umbrellas are all produced using the same painting method. In the past, the craft was only used for worship, but in the present, in addition to decorative items like glass bottles, wall hangings, sculptures, and paintings, artisans have begun to paint everyday objects like kettles, plates, glasses, jewellery boxes, key rings, containers, and bowls to support their livelihoods. The Patta painting tradition in a temple context began as a result of the religious significance of Anasara Patti during the absence of three Lords inside the temple and the sporadic worshipping of various paintings of various deities throughout the
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44 Fani Cyclone: The village was hit by cyclone Fani in 2019, as a result, it suffered huge losses, which included the destruction of Pattachitra and hundreds of other finely crafted paintings, infrastructures, basic facilities, etc. The loss was so immense that villagers have still not overcome their fears, not just the art and craft, cyclone Fani also destroyed the vast stretches of palm trees from where the artists used to source their raw material. the village which once was surrounded by greenery is now left with only few vegetation. While talking to villagers, they told us how the houses of most of the villagers got destroyed and how they survived without food for 15-20 days by just drinking coconut water which was fallen from the trees during the cyclone. In an act of solidarity, a number of NGOs and private organizations visited the village with supplies of food and water. The villagers welcomed them as if they were their own, also offered them their little food and drink, and sent them off with coconuts from their plantations despite the fact that they themselves were in a crisis. Covid 19: While the artisans were recovering from the aftereffects of Fani they were again hit by the global pandemic Covid 19 in 2020. The livelihoods of these artisans were robbed during the lockdown as the main thing through which their business runs is tourism and during this time tourism was on a complete shutdown. The government during this time provided an economic package to cope with the situation and asked the artisans to do pattachitra paintings on doors and walls of each and every house and in turn gave them ten thousand rupees, government also provide rice, 1000 rupees to widowed and old people but despite all these things artisans were still unsure about their future during that time. As of now because of the pandemic artisans have started selling their products through Whatsapp, they tried selling through other social media platforms such as Facebook but some cases where their work has been plagiarized have left a constant fear of their work getting copied in their mind, hence they don’t prefer online selling. The visits of foreign tourists have still not started and the artisans are waiting for it to resume because without more visitors they won’t be able to sell more products. Pandemic and Natural disasters: Fig. 63 Streets of Raghurajpur and a local temple Fig. 64 Pattachitra on walls of an artisan house
45 Fig. 63 Fig. 64
46 It’s YOUR WORKSPACE If you love your workspace, you will love your work -Cynthia rowley Fig. 65 Fig. 67 Fig. 66 Fig. 68
47 Fig. 71 Fig. 70 Fig. 69 Fig. 73 Fig. 74 Fig. 72 Fig. 75
48 PRODUCT RESEARCH (ଉତ୍ପାଦ ଅନୁସନ୍ଧାନ) Product range •Kitchen accessories •Home decor •Table accessories •Fashion accessories •Usage and packging 4
49 ଉତ୍ପାଦ ଅନୁସନ୍ଧାନ Product Research
50 Product Research: Range: Initially the craft was used in making pattachitras and decorations for temples but nowadays with new interventions and markets there is a wide variety of product ranges available in Pattachitra. Earlier it was only used to do on Patta canvas but nowadays the Patachitra motifs are used to create a wide range of diverse products, including sarees, garment materials, jewelry boxes, umbrellas, kettles, home décor items, table lamps, trays, decorative glass bottles, stationery items, bags, jewelry, etc. Fig. 76
51 KITCHEN ACCESSORIES Kitchen accessories: Kettle Glasses Plates Bowls Trays Tea coaster Fig. 77 Fig. 78 Fig. 79 Fig.81 Fig. 80
52 HOME DECOR Home décor: Glass bottles Paintings Vase Candle stands refrigerator magnet wall hangings Mirror Fig.82 Fig. 83 Fig. 85 Fig. 84 Fig. 86
53 Fashion and table accessories Jewelry box Jewelry Garments Umberella Pen stand Card holder Table lamps Paper weights FASHION AND TABLE ACCESSORIES Fig. 87 Fig. 89 Fig. 88 Fig.91 Fig. 90
54 Usage: The first mentioned use of pattachitra paintings were for religious purposes. For a period of 15 days, the paintings served as stand-ins for the Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Maa Subhadra temple idols. The term “Anasarpati” for paintings originated from this yearly tradition. The reason for this is that those 15 days are known as Anasar because the devotees are only able to glimpse the Lords’ exquisite paintings during those days rather than actually seeing them. Pattachitra is also typically used to adorn Ganjapa (playing) cards as well as the chariots used in the Rath Yatra ritual. The art form has also found its way into a variety of modern and decorative applications, including wall murals, masks, coconut shells, and bamboo boxes. As an extension of this painting tradition, pilgrims travelling to Puri can purchase paintings of the triad known as “Yatri Patti” (traveller paintings) as a memento of their trip to Puri Dham. Fig. 92 Fig. 92 A Ganjappa artist with cards Fig. 93 Pattachitra painting of Lord Jagannath, Balbhadra and Goddess Subhadra
55 Fig. 93
56 MARKET RESEARCH (ବଜାର ଅନୁସନ୍ଧାନ ) Market analysis •Present market scenario & competition •Packging and transport •Display and merchandising •Customer behaviour •Scope and interventions •GI tag • Government policies- Database NGO 5
57 ବଜାର ଅନୁସନ୍ଧାନ Market Research
58 Marketing: Due to its rich cultural legacy and traditional art and culture, India gains notoriety on the global scene. Due to their historic beauty, sensibility, and authenticity, these art and crafts currently seem to have significant potential on the global market. Pattachitra from Odisha stands out among all of India’s arts and crafts because of its creativity, uniqueness, and treatment of straightforward subjects—most often mythical themes. Previously, only Lord Jagannath’s religious ceremonies utilized this art, which was only known regionally. However, due to commercialization, this art form has since spread to every continent and is now a significant source of non-agricultural income for the nation. Pattachitra has excelled in both the domestic and foreign markets. Due to commercialization, it has now spread to every continent and country. The artisans now use fabric and poster colours, which are readily available in the market and also time-saving, to satisfy customer demand and taste. To draw in a wide range of customers, designers are adding patterns to bed linens, wall hangings, sarees, and garment materials. The artisans promote their goods by taking part in exhibitions, running online ads, and making personal connections. Previously a localized craft, this one has now gained national and worldwide recognition. The art that was on the verge of extinction and the artisans whose income was extremely low are now living better lives and are in a better socioeconomic position. Fig.94 Fig.95 Fig. 94 The workspace of an artisan Fig. 95 Pattachitra inspired motifs on cloth Fig. 96 Artisan’s window displaying Paper mache
59 Perception of Handicrafts in the world market: Crafts are a significant export good and part of the economy. The expansion of the worldwide market for home accessory products and the rise in interest in imported goods have given artisans new market options. The relevance of handmade vs. machine-made production, artistic aspects of the product vs. simple crafts, and the motivation for production—which may be founded in culture and tradition owing to economic considerations—are the three main elements in the definitional argument. A precise definition for handicrafts must be established in light of the manufacturing of these items becoming increasingly mechanized and commoditized, particularly in China. When anything is made entirely by hand, with the aid of hand tools, or even mechanical means, as long as the direct manual labor of the artisan remains the most significant component of the finished product, it is considered to be an artisanal product or handicraft. Their unique characteristics, which might be aesthetic, artistic, creative, culturally linked, decorative, useful, traditional, and religiously and socially symbolic and significant, are what give them their peculiar nature. There are no specific production number restrictions, and they are made from raw materials that have been produced sustainably. Pattachitra has grown incredibly well known all across the world throughout the years. The artisans now also work on contemporary works that elevate the existing art form in addition to the classic paintings. The Ramayana and the Mahabharata’s conventional and puranic tales are now being painted on various bottle forms, lamp shades, fridge magnets, and other items. Introduction to marketing: Modernization has created numerous opportunities for the sale of Pattachitra artwork. The Pattachitra paintings may be conveniently stored in more remote locations thanks to contemporary communication, and market information can be found through the media. In the past, only the older or elderly male members of the Chitrakara family had influence over the pata painting business. They handled orders and set prices. When selling their wares to tourists back then, they had to go to Jagannath Temple or the main Puri Road. They occasionally sold the paintings in the adjacent mela (religious fair) markets as well. They used to transport their goods from place to place in the past on foot or in a bullock cart. Marketing by middle man and difficulties faced Pata paintings have gained a lot of popularity throughout the years all across the world. Demand has led to an increase in supply, which has allowed people from other castes to Fig.96
60 enter the industrial sector and fill the gap. As a result, there are now more painters in the traditional craft guild. The activities of Pattachitra and neighboring villages’ palm leaf etching are automatically stopped by the dense marketing concentration in and around Puri and Bhubaneswar. As a result, competition between craftspeople has grown both inside and outside the chitrakara. One of the drawbacks is the middleman’s involvement. The artists offer considerably lower prices to the agents who then sell the products on the domestic and international markets for higher prices. Due to this, the income of most artists has become marginal and seasonal. Marketing through other media: At the moment, both the national government and the state government have increased marketing by setting up various exhibition-cum-sales programs, both inside and outside the state, sponsoring artisans to attend various exhibitions outside the state, purchasing goods from artisans and selling them to outsiders, and setting up cooperative societies at both the block and district levels. By expanding the market and raising prices, the shift in production trends has also had an impact on how the paintings are marketed. Craft fairs are held all throughout India where artisans offer their goods. This includes “Dastakar,” a non-governmental organization that works with artisans all throughout India to promote and revive traditional Indian crafts. There are numerous regional trade shows that local artisans attend and set up booths at in order to sell their products. If there is a single craftsman, he demonstrates the art while carrying his work and that of the other craftspeople. The products are also promoted online. There are numerous websites where Pattachitra paintings and other handicrafts can be purchased. One of the most well-known websites is Utkalamrita. com, which not only sells Pattachitra sarees but also promotes all of Orissa’s crafts (Handlooms, Textiles, ready-made garments, Silver Filigree Jewellery, Silver Decoratives, Brass Handicrafts, Pattachitra, and Saura Art Paintings, Wooden Works, Terracotta Crafts, Dhokra Items, Tribal Jewelry, Eco-friendly Women’s ethnic clothing online retailer Luxurionworld.com also sells Pattachitra sarees and outfits, fabric, and dupatta. Products like Pattachitra painted bottles and other household goods from different crafts of Odisha are available on the internet retailer craftsodisha.com. There are several sizes of Pattachitra paintings. For instance, 18” x 12,” 14” x 23,” 30” x 42,” etc. Even with coarse work, larger motifs, and a lack of design flexibility and complexity, a huge painting need not necessarily be more expensive. Since artisans put more time and effort into creating and finishing the finer work, smaller paintings with greater precision and complexity are more valued than larger works. Show that the complexity of the work determines a painting’s price rather than its size. In other words, the painting costs more the finer the craftsmanship. The ancient Pattachitra art has been modernized by Indian fashion designer Manas Dash, who is
61 originally from Odisha, and blended into sleek western shapes. Reinterpreting popular ideas about clothing, history, culture, and nature, the collection presents a new take on these subjects. Present Market scenario and competition The craftspeople rely on master artisans, dealers, and cooperative organizations for raw materials and product promotion. Despite the fact that the cost of raw materials is less than the cost of the finished product, the cost of labour is reasonable given the time and effort required to complete a single task. Major concerns identified as a result of bad marketing strategy are: •Lack of financial literacy •Exploitative technologies can bring traditional patta to the verge of extinction •Threat of occupation shifting due to low income. •Digital use has impacted many artisans due to a lack of digital literacy. Data: According to the monthly bulletin on foreign trade (2020), India’s handcraft exports amounted only 1838.08 million dollars in 2018-2019, a negligible change of 0.81 percent from the year before. Additionally, it experienced a negative change of -0.18% from April 2019 to January 2020. Odisha exports 2% of all products from India, but its growth rate is 8%, showing that there is room for improvement and that it is in a stronger position than other states (Monthly Bulletin on Foreign Trade, 2020). Pattachitra hasn’t become particularly well-known outside of India, and there aren’t many exports of this skill compared to imports. Additionally, poor growth is concerning for the small-scale artists’ livelihoods. Packaging and Transport: The packages are frequently packed and transported by the artisans alone. However, they received full payment for all packaging and shipping costs. The majority of the time, artists use post services to deliver the final goods, although occasionally intermediaries were involved and paid the artisans less than the true cost. The objects need to be transported and packaged carefully because they are delicate and fragile. Display and Merchandising The craftspeople struggle with appropriately showcasing their goods. They don’t have a specific window display for displaying their products. In their homes where they work on their art, they typically have built-in racks for walls or purchased wooden racks to group products of the same type together for display. While selling their goods will increase their income, they won’t be acknowledged unless
62 someone buys one from them at home and makes an effort to understand their technique. Customer behavior: •Customers value this handicraft and appreciate it but they don’t want to pay for it because they find it expensive. •Customers are not aware about the laborious and time taking process to make it. Scope and interventions: AWARENESS is the main issue with this craft. While the craft is well known among Odia people, it is less well known outside of Orissa. Craftspeople are working extremely hard to recover from the loss after the Covid and Fani cyclones had a significant negative impact on their livelihoods. Things have improved, but because of their low compensation, artisans are considering finding new employment. They claim that in addition to being their vocation, they are also worshipping their lord through this art, and they are unable to abandon it for whatever reason. They start teaching their children lessons for future generations at an early age, but they are also accepting enough to allow the next generation to choose the job they want to pursue. There are a few possible ways in which marketing strategy can be increased: - Digital Marketing The emerging market sectors are digital platforms. Everyone is in this room. More than forming an impression in people’s minds, these platforms offer items. Since many artists lack a strong understanding of digital platforms, either the younger generation assists them or some sort of workshop should be set up to help them become familiar with mobile technology. Joining social media platforms can aid in the development of networks and an artisan community with the help of collaborators and influencers, which will draw more clients to buy their products directly from them, cutting out middlemen and allowing them to make the most money. Ad Campaign The most profitable brands spend more on advertising than on actual items. Exhibitions in art galleries, theatrical performances, online and offline workshops, and commercials on national televisions can all be used to promote the craft and the state while also recognising the artist and raising awareness of it. GI Tag The geographical Indication of Pattachitra of both the states Odisha and West Bengal are registered differently because of the difference between the motifs and style of painting of both the states. The Odisha Pattachitra was given the GI (Government Indication) tag on 10th July 2008. which is valid upto 8th April 2027. The logo got global recognition and the GI tag in the year 2013.
63 India’s export-import data on Pattachitra associated handicraft from India for years 2013- 2018 Source: Import-Export Data Bank—Ministry of Commerce & Industry-Department of Commerce (GoI)
64 program’s primary goal is to conserve the state’s natives’ long-practiced traditional arts and trades in order to ensure their continued economic survival and, more importantly, to protect the goods that are emblematic of the country and its pride. The Department sponsors local youngsters for training both inside and outside the boundaries of the State with a stipend of Rs. 500 per month in order to hasten the expansion of this industry. In addition to this, the master craftsman who is currently in practice is granted an honorarium of Rs. 1000 per month under this program. Parampara- NGO Parampara is an NGO based in Raghurajpur that primarily focused on exports through product diversification There are 510 artisans who work as beneficiaries in this organization. They work on product diversification in order to cater to the changing market needs. Hasta Shilpa Production Company in association with Parampara helps in the production and marketing of Pattachitra. They organize seminars, workshops, and art exhibitions. Provides market linkage to beneficiaries. Basant Utsav is organized by Parampara, which is three-day celebration of the spring season, along with showcasing the handicraft of the village. Guru-Shishya Parampara The Guru Shishya Parampara Scheme was established by the Government of India’s Department of Culture through Zonal Cultural Centers in order to preserve and promote rare and disappearing art forms, whether classical or folk/tribal, and to foster the development of young artists’ skills in their chosen fields of art through financial support from the ZCCs (Zonal Culture Centers) in the form of scholarships, under the supervision of experts and masters in these fields. To put this plan into action, Great Masters (Gurus) of various art forms f who are qualified to train interested shishyas are found. The committee was established to review, consider, and advise expert candidates (Guru). Five to eight shishyas are supposed to be trained by each Guru. According to the guidelines established by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, which are as follows, a small stipend is given to the student as motivation and incentive, while the Master (Guru) receives an honorarium. Master Craft Man (MCM) The Training Program under the Working Master craftsman The state has a huge opportunity to promote and expand the handicraft and textile industries. This Government Policies and NGO Fig.97 Fig. 97 A student learning how to draw shapes for pattachitra Fig. 98 Prachi Desai wearing Pattachitra inspired dress in Indian Fashion Week London 2017 (Google Image) Fig. 99 Fashion designer Parekh with her pattachitra incpired collections (Google Image)
65 Sweta parekh odisha designer Pattachitra in Fashion Prachi Desai walked the India Fashion Week London 2017 in a dress designed by Bhubaneswar-based designer Sweta Parekh, who showcased her collection of ‘Pattachitra’ styled designs with peacock feather. For the show in London, Parekh had designed apparels with peacock feature on Matka silk, besides intricate Pattachitra paintings on western gown, kurti, ghagra choli giving an Indo-western feel. Winner of Dadasaheb Phalke Excellence Award-2017 in ‘Best Fashion Designer’ category, Parekh also wants to popularize textile art of Odisha, which is not getting the same attention despite being just as beautiful. Fig.98 Fig.99
66 ARTISANS INTERVIEW • About artist • Database of artisans • Observation and Analysis • Issues and Challenges • SWOT analysis • Problems and Solutions • Our Experience • Conclusion 6 ( )
67 Artisans Interview
68 The Indian state of Odisha is where the Pattachitra painting style first emerged. These 3,000-year-old pieces of art are hand-painted representations of Odisha songs, folklore, and Hindu mythology that are made by the painters over the course of several hours and then finally finished on the Patta (the base canvas). Members of the Mahapatra or Maharanas caste, which is distributed throughout the towns of Odisha, are often the ones who paint these works of art Pattachitra Art was created as a replacement for the statues of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra as a result. Before, only male Oriya painters created works of art; however, a few gifted female artists are now also recognised for their magnificent masterpieces. Bright colours are utilised to tell stories through the ornamentation and intricacies of paintings. The Mohapatras from the Puri village of Raghurajpur are thought to be the premier painters of Pattachitra. Only his son is taught the unique techniques of a Pattachitra artist, and even then, part of the secrets are withheld from him. Raghunath Mohapatra is one of the most well-known Pattachitra master painters and the recipient of India’s highest honours. Two incredibly talented artists are described in the book “Indigenous Artists - India” as being driven to modernise the Odia pattachitra art style and adept at using it to produce wholly unique masterpieces. First, Pranab Narayan Das from Dandashi, an Odisha hamlet close to Raghurajpur’s crafts district and about 190 kilometres from Puri’s holy city. He developed an interest in the pattachitra art heritage as a child as he saw it all around him. His father was a farmer. He began painting religious mythology at the age of ten, initially on a handmade canvas and then on tussar silk. following ten years of diligent effort under his guru. The book further claims that he presented his work at conferences held by ABC in New York and exhibitions in several Indian towns. Later, as his business grew, he relocated to Bhubaneshwar in order to build relationships with customers that were simpler to reach and hired the best apprentices to work in his workshop alongside him. In addition to employing a number of pattachitra painting techniques, which limit the use of colour to two or three and feature geometric compositions on subjects related to the Jagannatha temple, he also produced still life paintings and landscape paintings, deftly modifying the pattachitra idiom to create a variety of religiously themed works. About the artisans: Fig. 100 Artisan giving interview while esplaining something (Right page)
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70 1) What is Artisans name ? 2) What is Artisan’s age ? 3) What is Artisan’s Address? 4) His contact number ? 5) How many members are there in your family ? 6) Education? 7) How many members of family are associated with this craft? 8) For how many years you’ve been practising this craft ? 9) How many hours a day you spend doing this craft? 10) Beside Pattachitra, what more crafts do you practice ? 11) Any particular month/ months in the year in which the demand of this craft is more ? 12) Do you want to teach your children this craft? 13) Are you a member of any NGOs or organisation? 14) What is the monthly earning by practicing this craft? 15) Do you do any other work beside Pattachitra for more earnings? 16) What are the raw materials used for making this craft? 17) Has there been any changes in the materials used traditionally and the one used today? If so, which according to you is better to use ? 18) What are the natural colours used and how are they obtained ? 19) What kind of tools are used in the making of this artwork? 20) Have new tools been introduced? If yes, which were the old ones and and in what way the new ones impacted the production process ? 21) When an art piece is completed, how do you preserve it for longer use / longer period of time ? 22) Preservation also needs finances besides only making Pattachitra, according to you what is the cost involved in preservation? 23) What keeps you motivated to do this craft and continues to do so in the future ? 24) What were the market scenarios when you started and what is it now ( present scenario)? 25) What is the supply chain system you follow? How far these products are sent and the ones found in different parts of countries? How is their quality different from the ones produced here ? 26) Is there B2B company you want to collaborate or have been collaborating? 27) What are the steps involved in production of art pieces? Can you show us step by step process? 28) Is their gender-based division of work or what is the division of labour between men and women? 29) Do you have a particular area of place where you make art pieces or do you make it at you home only ? 30) What are the motifs used in the artwork, are there repeated or common motifs used in the craft? 31) What does these motifs symbolise? From where did you take the inspiration? 32) How are these motifs different from traditional ones? In what way, have the designs and motifs evolved with the time? 33) Was there any training program or training provided for the Interview Questions: So from secondary research we come to know about alot of facts and stories and on basis of that we made a questionnaire which is qualitative and quantitative too . And in primary we ask these questions to know the authentic data from artisians
71 work? 34) What is your area of speciality? 35) If any artwork gets destroyed as any mistake occurs during the process, what do you do? 36) Does everyone make Patta’s at their home or it can be purchased or sold in the market too ? 37) What is your production capacity? 38) As a customer, how can a person identify a given artwork as authentic or not? 39) What is Jautukapedi? Is it still in practice? 40) Where is the main market for the sale of the product? Have you ever tried to sell your products anywhere besides here? 41) Do you want to promote your work outside odisha? If yes, do you have any idea or plan? 42) What are the products you create beside painting scrolls? 43) Are there any new products you want to create other than the existing ones ?1 44) How do you seek more work opportunities ? 45) Beside skill development are you all trained for capacity building, marketing, better packaging? 46) Do you know how to use digital platform? If yes, what do you use it for? 47) If you use Internal/ digital platform, how has it benefited you? 48) How do you decide the pricing of the artwork ? Who decides it and are you satisfied with the pricing? 49) Are there any government policies for funding? If yes, then what is the process of acquiring these funds? 50) As odisha is prone to cyclone and in 2019 Fani came, how huge was the loss you faced and what are your plans to tackle with such disasters in future ? 51) Is there any health related issue with this craft? 52) Do you have health/ life insurance policy? 53) What is the support provided by government? Do you think you get the complete benefit from them? (54)What Pattachitra is all about? (55) Is there any tale associated with the origin of Pattachitra? (56) Are the people working for this craft are divided into communities? If yes, please brief about them ?
72 Artisan Profile Keshab Kumar Maharana has been doing this craft for more than 25 years, he also belongs to the Chitrakara family and he has inherited this pattachitra art, everyone in his family is involved in Pattachitra making including his, mother and sisters, his elder sister is a national awardee and also his mother has been to many places for exhibitions and teaching purposes, He mentioned the problems faced by the artisans during Covid and also how the tourism industry is still suffering as there are no tourists coming to the village, He mentioned the subsidies provided by the government on the raw materials i.e. the colors and how earlier they used to do process the colors from their raw form to powdered form on their own and now government provides these colors in powdered form and artisans just have to purchase these from the market. He displayed some of the old paintings of his grandfather, some of them were 50 years old, he explained the modification pattachitra went under and how today’s pattachitra is different and more detailed than earlier as now artisans use thin brushes and many artisans for commercial purposes use acrylic paint instead of the natural paint. He explained why most of the artisans don’t trust the government and banks, according to him government does make policies but the people working closely with the government for the artisans take away 75% of the share. Another problem he told us, that how they earlier used to depend on a businessman who keeps stocks of the products, sell them and earns profit but now after covid they have started selling products on Whatsapp though the sales are not that much but now the involvement of middlemen has reduced. He also showed us around the village and helped us in interacting with different artisans and explained how he is going to continue this legacy and will teach his future generation because without pattachitra their existence has no meaning. Keshab Kumar Maharana Name- Keshab Kumar Maharana Age-35 years Contact no.-9938142846 Family - Chitrakara family Experience- 10-15 years
73 Name- Sridhar Maharana Age- 75 years Contact no.-9861892217 Family - Chitrakara family Experience- More than 50 years Sridhar Maharana, an experienced master painter from Odisha who is 75 years old and a recipient of the Presidential Award for Pattachitra, decorates Lord Jagannath’s rath during the Rath Yatra and also paints Anasarpattai’. He is a member of the Chitrakara family and has been practising this craft since he was ten years old. His wife, kids, and grandchildren make up his large, nine-person family. He takes satisfaction in the fact that his family has been practising pattachitra since the craft’s inception and that his own descendants will carry on the tradition. He devotes roughly 9 to 10 hours a day practising his skill. He has also done his bachelor’s in art and has played small roles in a few movies, he has also visited many countries for teaching and exhibiting his pattachitra work. He mainly works on paintings for temples and those commissioned by the state government, but he mentioned that sometimes he works for commercial purposes also and is willing to change and introduce new and modified products according to the market demand. He also runs a workshop of pattachitra and teaches students those who are willing to learn the art in his own house. His monthly income is around 15k and sometimes it’s around 20-30k, as he is involved in this craft throughout the year. He’s wholeheartedly devoted to work for lord Jagannath as long as he can, also he wants to teach youth this particular artform and expressed his concern and feeling of joy when today’s generation wants to learn this craft as he believes that being close to our religious roots is as important as walking with modernising world. Sridhar Maharana
74 Name- Sarad Chandra Swain Age- 59 years Contact no.-8599829286 Family - Does not belong to chitrakara family Experience- 45 years Sarad Chandra Swain, a 59-year-old gotipua dancer and fantastic vocalist who sings folk tales and has his unique style of storytelling, is a pattachitra artist. He speaks Hindi and Odia with ease and barely has a primary education. He resides in the same house as his wife, two sons, daughter, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren. He is the first member of his family who started pattachitra art, he began doing this work in 1975. In addition to pattachitra, he also does other crafts including paper mache, cow dung toys, palm leaf etching, etc. He says he wants to maintain this art form but will also give his children the option to pursue other careers if they want to. His older son works alongside him and makes pattachitra, but his younger son is in the army. He adores his teacher, Guru Sridhar Maharana, and claims that his guru is the reason for all of his abilities. he has a monthly income between 20- 25k, lives in his own home, and possesses essential assets like a gas connection, bicycle, and television. He also works with the NGO Parampara, and he spoke about the assistance given by the government during the Covid and Fani cyclone. He described how each artist received Rs 10,000 to paint their walls and doors during the Covid when everything was at a standstill, and how they were also given food when the village was hit by the cyclone, as well as assistance for house renovation and construction. His fear of his work being plagiarized prevents him from selling his work on any websites or social media plat-forms, but he still accepts orders over WhatsApp despite his lack of familiarity with digital technologies. He claimed that the government covered all of his expenses when he traveled to Delhi and Bengaluru for exhibi-tions and to teach art in colleges and universities. He also claimed that the NGO Parampara assists in promoting the cultural and handicraft sector and aids artisans in addition to the government by giving them small sums of money for housing and other necessities. Sarad Chandra Swain
75 Name- Shiv Narayan Swain Age- 23 years Contact no.-9861422530 Family - Does not belong to Chitrakara family Experience- 5 years Shiv Narayan Swain who is 23 years old, belongs to the younger generation of artists and has been doing this artwork for 5 years, as he is younger his point of view is quite different from those artists of the older generation, he has great knowledge about market, policies, technology and he said he knows the power of digital media and wants to sell his work on the digital platform although he still takes orders on Whatsapp but he says that he wants to use the power of the social media completely. He has an MCA degree and is fluent in English, Hindi, Odia, and Bengali. He told about the NGO Parampara and all the work it does like organizing Basant utsav, funding any cultural program, and helping artisans with travel expenses when they go anywhere for promoting any cultural or traditional art form. He also talked about the prolonged health problems artisans who do pattachitra have to face, he said doing continuous work for about 4-5 hours sitting on the floor badly impacts the back of the artisans and also while doing the minute detailing of the paintings artisans face eye problems. He mentioned the artisans pension which is Rs1200 given to those who are above 65 years of age and can’t do the work. His father’s elder brother started doing pattachitra and before that, his family was involved in agriculture. He works alongside his father and mother and earns around 10-12k per month. Shiv Narayan Swain
76 Name- Avkash Nayak Age- 56 years Contact no.- 9777420867 Family - Does not belong to Chitrakara family Experience- 35 years Avkash Nayak is a 56-year-old Pattachitra artisan who lives with his family of 6 members in the first house upon entering the village. He has not acquired any education but he speaks Hindi and English fluently. He does Palm leaf etching and pattachitra mainly he works for the whole year but according to him in the month of November- February the sales are highest as this is the time of Rath Yatra. His monthly income is Rs 10000 approx. and he also teaches children, the art of pattcahitra. He is a member of a cooperative society. He also told that generally people paint Radha-Krishna for marriage and the story of Ramayana and Ganesh for decorating the home. He also talked about the history and origin of pattachitra and although he is not from Chitrakara family his family is into this craft for about more than 50 years. He lives in his own house and possesses basic entities like T.V. Cycle, Ration card, and also have a saving account in the bank. He does not have a smartphone but he still take order on Whatsapp with the help of neighboring people, He was a bit unsatisfied with the government and also doesn’t trust bank to take loans. He works for about 8-10 hours every day. His wife is not associated with patta making or painting, according to him, she’s already busy with her household work so she doesn’t get time to do the art. Avkash Nayak
77 Name- Jitendra Sahoo Age- 28 years Contact No.- 9583762047 Family - Does not belong to Chitrakara family Jitu Sahu is 28 years old Pattachitra artist, his family consists of his wife, his son, his father, and his mother. He knows how to handle technology but was still skeptical about using Social media for sale purposes, he mentioned that people copy the original artwork and print it out on canvas and sell it at a much higher price, he also talked about the health problem the artisans face due to prolonged sitting in the same position. He wants to continue this artwork but also supports the idea of people wanting to do some other business with the craft as according to him the earning through the craft is not at all sufficient and one can only live a life with the earning and will never be able to own anything big. He is not much happy with Government policies because according to him the major portion of whatever profit the government promise to provide them is consumed by the people who are close to the government and represent these artists. Jitendra Sahoo
78 Women have always been present in the craft, The artisans claim that there is no division of labour among them and that both men and women perform equal amounts of work, but from what we observed, it is clear that the work of women primarily consists of preparation, such as making “patta,” preparing gum, processing colours, etc., while the work of men primarily consists of sketching and painting. There are a lot of women who work on the sketching and painting portions of pattachitras, but most of them come from the Chitrakara family. We came across a few of these women pattachitra artists who have also received national and state awards, but the problem is that after getting married, they must care for their families and perform housekeeping tasks, and once they are done with their household duties, then only they can devote their time creating pattachitras, in Chitrakara family marriage is also directly influenced by pattachitra, people get married to someone from chitrakara family only and continue this traditional work. The sociological factors showed that while both genders have an equal chance to participate in an occupation when they are younger, as they get older, the gap between them widens. The assumption of marriage is a better way to explain the large discrepancy since pressure from the home causes female participation to drop. The scenario is completely different for women of caste other than chitrakaras, the artisans who took this work of pattachitra making, mentioned that women of their family generally are not involved in pattachitra making, in some of the families they do make pattas and other materials for the painting but only after completing their household chores but mostly these women are not that much involved in the craft. Role of Women Fig. 101 A local village resident Fig. 102 A women doing household chores Fig. 103 Women working on a craft Fig. 101
79 Fig. 102 Fig. 103
80 • The cultural richness and heritage of Odisha is pattachitra. It is crucial to preserve these artistic expressions so that future generations can appreciate their culture. By utilizing short-term advances, which serve as a tool for advancement rather than a burden, struggling artisans can receive benefits that compliment their own. The craftspeople must also be made aware of the emergence of exploitative practices. • We observed that it is a caste-based occupation Moreover, we learned that the family bearing Maharana and Mahapatra titles are actual patta artisans and descendants of the chitrakara caste. • This trade has preserved the unbroken harmony of joint family relationships. The reason for this is that every family member must participate in every procedure because the artists depend on their help and support. As a result, this craft is a joint effort and does not call for the employment of outside workers. This important distinction separates traditional craftspeople from their corporate counterparts, who hire with the goal of growing the business rather than preserving the legacy or passion. • The monthly income of the artisans is inadequate in the present scenario, only a small number of artisans, particularly the businesspeople (not the traditional craftspeople), are in a better financial position. These businessmen are named craftsmen who, in particular, live on the village’s outskirts. They buy finished goods instead of conventional ones and sell them for set prices. • This leads to the artisans not being able to meet the household demand, fulfill their own expenditures and produce capital and savings. this creates a difference between what they actually want to do and what their professional needs are, this leads the artisans to take help from their relatives and this situation compels them to leave this traditional artwork of pattachitra and work with the support of Business people, other than these factors the basic needs like water, electricity, sanitation, etc are satisfactory. • From our observation, it is obvious that craftsmen lack a specific supply of protected financial aid, which results in limited resources and poorer returns. This, in turn, results in a lack of organized marketing channels, insufficient funds to build a storehouse or showroom, challenges any initiative towards innovation, and lack of promotional activities renders them unfit to handle their profession in a globalized period. Additionally, the existence of unethical middlemen and the forced entry of businesspeople dressed as phony craftsmen divert tourists away from the deserving group of artisans. Also, the lack of specific health programs for the elderly artisans forces them to live in complete insecurity. Observation and Analysis
81 • The process of making natural colors is a bit tedious so many of the artists have started using inexpensive and easily available poster and acrylic colors in the market, which deteriorates the quality of pattachitra. • These days, any caste can practice this art form. The traditional craft guild has grown as a result. However, there is no organized entity for marketing or propagating the information. • The Yatrri pattis lost their importance over time with the introduction of photographs, and other quicker forms of souvenirs. • The process of making natural colors is a bit tedious so many of the artists have started using inexpensive and easily available poster and acrylic colors in the market, which deteriorates the quality of pattachitra. • These days, any caste can practice this art form. The traditional craft guild has grown as a result. However, there is no organized entity for marketing or propagating the information. • Painting production in other areas has decreased as a result of intense marketing concentration in and around Puri and Bhubaneswar. Therefore, with a few exceptions, the income of other artists is meager and cyclical. • The artisans also face health problems, such as back pain problems, weakening of eyesight due to continuous sitting in the same posture while bending, and also painting such minute details not only in broad daylight but also at night in low light as there is no specific time for them doing this art. • The involvement of middlemen is a big challenge for pattachitra artisans, though after Covid the artisans have started selling their products directly and have also started taking orders on Whatsapp , but these middlemen are still present. • Their earnings is quite low and are not able to fulfill their needs, They don’t even have funds to build a storehouse or showroom, they have converted their homes into workspace as well as their shops. • The people of Raghurajpur don’t want to come out of the village and start their shops in marketplaces. • A lot of artisans don’t belong to any formal or informal organisations. The collaboration between craftspeople is limited to their own hamlet or workshop, which is a significant gap. It causes a void in information and communication. • while both genders have an equal chance to participate in an occupation when they are younger, as they get older, the gap between them widens. The assumption of marriage is a better way to explain the large discrepancy since pressure from the home causes female participation to drop. • In the modern technological age, craftspeople desire some technical knowledge. However, it has repercussions, such as the worry that traditional skills would disappear. Challenges and Issues: Consequently, several of them made claims against the use of technology. They continued to hold a firm belief that technology will undermine their traditionalistic beliefs. Additionally, it has been proven that certain artisans use technology to print on canvas. The consumer base shrinks and originality are eliminated when there is no restriction on excessive usage of technology
82 S Strength: • Recognition as ‘Heritage village’ • Upgradation of product range according to the market trends. • Utilization of local natural resources and old cotton cloth. • Highly skilled artisans. • Wide product range. • Artistic value of each painting. • No additional labour is required for the production. Weakness: • Low level of marketing and branding efficiency. • Limited knowledge about new technologies, • People doing this handicraft just for business purpose. • Lack of knowledge about market trends. • Lack of outlets. • Unequal labour balance between males and females. • Same training provided repeatedly. • No funding to promote their craft. • Usage of non-natural colors degrades the quality. • Reduction in foreign tourism after covid. • Fear of taking loans from banks and using social media platforms for the craft W purpose. Firstly we read secondary data to know more about their different aspects and then after completing our primary research we analyzed and compared the similar and different data obtained and then made this SWOT analysis
83 Opportunity: • Scope for innovation and self-employment. • Rising demands for handicraft products. • It is part of the eco-fashion trend. • After Covid tourism is once again gaining O its momentum. T Threats: • Presence of middlemen. • Occurrence of natural disasters like Fani cyclone. • The unstable price range of products. • Low income increases the chances of shifting occupations. • Lack of marketing strategies. • Exploitative technologies can harm pattachitra. • Cultural appropriation. • Changing the mindset of the new generation.
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