Purulia, West Bengal

Purulia Patachitra (Tribal Scroll Painting)

Traditional scroll painting in which mythological, folk and everyday-life stories are painted as frames on long cloth scrolls, traditionally unfurled and narrated with song by patuas (chitrakar artists). Purulia's Patachitra is noted for its simple compositions, minimal background decoration and natural colours prepared from stones, fruits, leaves and flowers, and it remains an essentially ritualistic practice in tribal households. It is painted by hereditary chitrakar families, for example in Majramura village in Purulia district. Note: the GI-tagged 'Bengal Patachitra' (certified 2018) is registered to Naya village in Paschim Medinipur district, so Purulia's related tradition is not itself GI-tagged, but it is sold locally as authentic folk art.

Typical price: ₹500-10000 (small single-frame paintings to larger multi-panel scrolls)

Buying tip: Buy directly from chitrakar families or village visitors' centres in Majramura for the best authenticity and price; verify the pigments are natural (stone/leaf-based) rather than synthetic. Smaller single-frame pieces are the affordable entry point; larger multi-frame scrolls are statement pieces.