Bengal’s Pattachitra art becomes an epitome of communal harmony

May 18, 2020

Midnapur (West Bengal), May 18 (ANI): ‘Pattachitra’ is a pictorial folk art which comes mainly from eastern India. ‘Pattachitra’ involves telling stories by painting multiple panels on a cloth scroll. In the Sanskrit language, “Patta” literally means “cloth” and “Chitra” means “picture”. Most of these paintings depict stories of Hindu deities. Now you might be thinking how this art has become an epitome of communal harmony in Midnapur district? So, the unique thing about ‘Pattachitra’ art in Midnapur is that Muslim artists are painting scrolls to tell stories about Hindu gods, Ramayana, Mahabharata and many others. The art of Pattachitra has become the main source of earning for Muslim people here. This artwork has not only become a medium of uniting different religious communities in Pingla block of West Bengal but is also strengthening the secular fabric of our country, in the way that one community is respecting the beliefs of another community. Pattachitra art has thus become a symbol of religious harmony and clearly defines the concept of real India i.e. “Unity in religious diversity.”