February 17, 2019
Patachitra artistes of Bangla seeing happier days
Patachitra (pata painting), a traditional art form of the Medinipur region – Pingla, Debra, Ghatal, etc. – has got a new lease of life, thanks to the initiatives started by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Under her guidance, the State Government has created schemes for their upliftment, organises fairs all across Bangla and also enables their participation in national and international fairs.
Big handicraft fairs are regularly held in the district headquarters and also in the sub-divisional towns. Age-old fairs have been revived, which are actively promoted by the Tourism Department.
Many of the fairs are organised by the Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises and Textiles (MSME&T) Department, and the West Bengal Khadi & Village Industries Board (WBKVIB), which is under the department.
The department has also collaborated with UNESCO to set up Rural Craft Hubs and Rural Craft and Cultural Hubs (RCCH), the former in places where the crafts-makers have been traditionally concentrated.
