Pattachitra are still turned out for the millions of pilgrims who flock to the great Jagannath Temple. These are cloth paintings executed on a leather-like surface comprising layers of old cotton cloth glued together with a gum made of ground tamarind seed. Apart from the three idols of the temple - Jagannath, lord of the universe, Subhadra, his sister, and Balbhadra, his brother - the painters depict various religious subjects in a sharp-featured ritualized form. The final stage involves outlining faces and jewelry in close detail and accentuating sections of the picture with black lines. The finished article is varnished to protect it from dirt and damp.
Click here to visit the Pattachitra paintings gallery.
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