Most of us are acquainted with the huge idols of Durga worshipped during the annual autumn festival. But did you know there are some households who worship the goddess through paintings While the practice is extant in several families, you may visit Bishnupur in Bankura district or Hatserandi in Birbhum district to catch a glimpse of the painted Durgas.
About 100km from Kolkata is Bishnupur, a town known for its artistically carved terracotta temples. Head to this former capital of the Malla rulers for a glimpse of the unique Durga Puja. Here the goddess is worshipped through a series of paintings, something similar to scrolls, specially prepared for the occasion. The celebration too begins about a fortnight ahead of the actual commencement of Durga Puja. On the appointed day, the first of the paintings, that of Boro Thakurani, is installed in the Mrinmoyee Temple with much fanfare. Subsequently, on the days of Sasthi and Saptami, the paintings of Mejo Thakurani and Chhoto Thakurani, respectively, are also installed.
The paintings are executed by the local Fauzdar families, descendants of the former soldiers employed by the kings. Called &lsquopatachitra&rsquo, these are paintings done on specially treated cloth and with organic colours. The images are therefore also called &lsquopateshwari&rsquo.
Last year, the painted Durga of Hatserandi village of Birbhum caught people&rsquos fancy when a Kolkata-based travel company showcased the place on their virtual walk programme. According to Shoubhik Bandyopadhyay, an expert on the subject, there are quite a few families here who still follow this practice. Here the goddess is painted on life-sized canvasses on site. They are retained for the whole year and immersed the following year when the new canvas is prepared.
Unfortunately, according to art experts, the practice of worshipping the goddess through paintings is on the wane and the younger generations of the artist families are moving to other more paying options. If no steps are taken to preserve this style, we stand to lose a traditional art form.