<p>Palm leaf engraving or palm scripts has been creating ripples among the people since a few years, among people who are enthusiastic to know about the mystery of their past and also the destiny of their souls in their current life. The astrologers and godmen have been assuring this palmleaf inscription dates back to ancient times, when it was used to send messages from one place to other or preserve certain knowledge for posterity. <br /><br />Evolution of the text continued by illustrations, which became an art for by itself. <br /><br />Debadatta Pradhan, Master in Palmleaf Engraving and Patta paintings has been demonstrating his art at the Handicrafts mela being held at JSS Urban Haat, which has been trying to identify the master craftsmen and bring them to city, giving them an opportunity to display their products and also explain the importance of intricate art to the art lovers here.<br /><br />Explaining about the exhibits which require a lot of concentration and interest towards the art, he says after engraving on the palm leaves using a fine needle, it is later smeared with the soot collected from the burning lamp, which stays permanently for decades. <br /><br />Hailing from Raghurajpur, which has been declared as heritage village by the Government of India, he says palm leaves are grown abundantly in jungles of Orissa.<br /><br />Debadatta is also a recipient of Lalitkala Academy Interior Decorator award, Best craftsman award in Surajkund, Haryana, Best artiste award at Varanasi, he has also travelled as far as Singapore and received an award for best design with best product on palm leaf. <br /><br />Not only a creative artist, Debadatta is also an accomplished writer. He has written several books in Oriya language. Most of the Pattachitras depict the history of Puri Jagannath, the presiding deity of Orissa and also mythological stories like Ramayana and Mahabharatha has been engraved on these palm leaves, which are sure to leave the art lovers spellbound.<br /><br />Rani Chitrakar, from Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal, who has spread her stall decorated with long sheets of Pattachitra art attracts visitors with her Soprano voice. <br />The attractively painted pattachitra paintings is usually a series of sequences depicting mythological stories. Be it a story of Goddess Durga Mata or Ramayana she sings with elan. <br /><br />Mythology<br /><br />Mythological themes dominate most pattachitras. Scenes from Hindu epics, Krishna on Raas Leela, Natya Ganapathy, stories of Ramayana, Mahabharatha and Dashavathara are beautifully painted on Patta which has been done very intricately. <br /><br />Local legends and folklore too find their way in the painting.<br /><br />Speaking to City Herald, Rani said the art of Pattachitra, which includes explaining the story by singing has been taught by her ancestors and the tradition is being passed on for generations.<br /><br />Coming from West Bengal, her narration of the story of Rabindranath Tagore right from his birth to the time he established the world famous Shantiniketan through a song, with the support of brightly coloured pattachitra, is truly attractive. But, the theme song on HIV/AIDS with the help of pattachitra, that is a new addition to their traditional ones surprises the visitors. <br /><br />Right from how the dreaded disease spreads to the treatment available, do’s and dont's is explained through a song, which is a sure crowd puller in melas, says Rani.<br /><br />Pattachitra-means painting done on cotton fabric using only natural colours, she explained. <br /><br />Moreover, the colours mainly used are white-made out of sea shells, black-from burning lamp dust, yellow-stone called Haritha, red-from Hangul stone and blue-also from stones that are available only on the mountain regions of Orissa. They grind the stones and mix it with wood apple resin and use it for painting, which she guarantees to be afresh for more than100 years.<br /><br />First the base is made ready by taking two cotton fabric and drying it on tiled roof after which it is pasted together to form a thick chart like, which is used for painting after it dries completely.</p>
<p>Palm leaf engraving or palm scripts has been creating ripples among the people since a few years, among people who are enthusiastic to know about the mystery of their past and also the destiny of their souls in their current life. The astrologers and godmen have been assuring this palmleaf inscription dates back to ancient times, when it was used to send messages from one place to other or preserve certain knowledge for posterity. <br /><br />Evolution of the text continued by illustrations, which became an art for by itself. <br /><br />Debadatta Pradhan, Master in Palmleaf Engraving and Patta paintings has been demonstrating his art at the Handicrafts mela being held at JSS Urban Haat, which has been trying to identify the master craftsmen and bring them to city, giving them an opportunity to display their products and also explain the importance of intricate art to the art lovers here.<br /><br />Explaining about the exhibits which require a lot of concentration and interest towards the art, he says after engraving on the palm leaves using a fine needle, it is later smeared with the soot collected from the burning lamp, which stays permanently for decades. <br /><br />Hailing from Raghurajpur, which has been declared as heritage village by the Government of India, he says palm leaves are grown abundantly in jungles of Orissa.<br /><br />Debadatta is also a recipient of Lalitkala Academy Interior Decorator award, Best craftsman award in Surajkund, Haryana, Best artiste award at Varanasi, he has also travelled as far as Singapore and received an award for best design with best product on palm leaf. <br /><br />Not only a creative artist, Debadatta is also an accomplished writer. He has written several books in Oriya language. Most of the Pattachitras depict the history of Puri Jagannath, the presiding deity of Orissa and also mythological stories like Ramayana and Mahabharatha has been engraved on these palm leaves, which are sure to leave the art lovers spellbound.<br /><br />Rani Chitrakar, from Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal, who has spread her stall decorated with long sheets of Pattachitra art attracts visitors with her Soprano voice. <br />The attractively painted pattachitra paintings is usually a series of sequences depicting mythological stories. Be it a story of Goddess Durga Mata or Ramayana she sings with elan. <br /><br />Mythology<br /><br />Mythological themes dominate most pattachitras. Scenes from Hindu epics, Krishna on Raas Leela, Natya Ganapathy, stories of Ramayana, Mahabharatha and Dashavathara are beautifully painted on Patta which has been done very intricately. <br /><br />Local legends and folklore too find their way in the painting.<br /><br />Speaking to City Herald, Rani said the art of Pattachitra, which includes explaining the story by singing has been taught by her ancestors and the tradition is being passed on for generations.<br /><br />Coming from West Bengal, her narration of the story of Rabindranath Tagore right from his birth to the time he established the world famous Shantiniketan through a song, with the support of brightly coloured pattachitra, is truly attractive. But, the theme song on HIV/AIDS with the help of pattachitra, that is a new addition to their traditional ones surprises the visitors. <br /><br />Right from how the dreaded disease spreads to the treatment available, do’s and dont's is explained through a song, which is a sure crowd puller in melas, says Rani.<br /><br />Pattachitra-means painting done on cotton fabric using only natural colours, she explained. <br /><br />Moreover, the colours mainly used are white-made out of sea shells, black-from burning lamp dust, yellow-stone called Haritha, red-from Hangul stone and blue-also from stones that are available only on the mountain regions of Orissa. They grind the stones and mix it with wood apple resin and use it for painting, which she guarantees to be afresh for more than100 years.<br /><br />First the base is made ready by taking two cotton fabric and drying it on tiled roof after which it is pasted together to form a thick chart like, which is used for painting after it dries completely.</p>
