FOLK STORY BEHIND ORIGIN OF PATUA

There is an interesting folklore recited in the regions of West Bengal about the origin of Patua and Patua painters. This post is sourced from Reflections of India–

In the Midnapur region of West Bengal it is said that the primordial god, called Maranf-Burung, summoned the crab, the tortoise and snake from the netherworld. He asked them to restore earth to the surface of the water and put them to work. Then he created first two cows Ain gaye and Bain gaye. The cows created two birds from their saliva who laid eggs from which came the first man and woman, Pichu Haram and Pichu Burhi.

Pichu Haram and Pichu Burhi had seven sons and seven daughters who married each other against the concerns of their parents. So feeling guilty and ashamed the parents departed the world.

The oldest son, Jadab Guru painted his parents portraits and performed Chokkhudan, the ritual of making eyes on the faces of a painting, or offering of the eyes. Thus the first Patua painter was born and the tradition of Patua painting began.

Here the artist Smt. Manimala Chitraker paints two myths on either side of a 15 foot stone slab.