Culture

The Union Minister for Culture & Tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat today stated in the Rajya Sabha in writing that the Union Government has set up Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC), Kolkata (an autonomous organisation under Ministry of Culture) to protect, promote and preserve various forms of folk art including Patachitra in its member States. EZCC organizes various cultural activities and programmes on a regular basis for which they engage folk artists from all over India including Patachitra artists and they are paid honorarium, TA/DA, local transportation, boarding & lodging etc for these programmes.

 

In a reply to the question asked by MP, Shri Samik Bhattacharya on whether Government would promote and preserve Patachitra, the traditional scroll painting art form of West Bengal, including the narrative style of Patachitra singers (Patua), particularly in Bankura, Purulia and Paschim Medinipur districts, the details of financial assistance, training programmes or marketing initiatives undertaken during the last five years for Patachitra artisans of West Bengal and Odisha, the role of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in promoting Patachitra at the national and international level, including participation in cultural exchanges, exhibitions and festivals and the steps taken by Government to promote the art through fairs, e-commerce and global platforms, the Union Minister replied that the Lalit Kala Akademi (LKA), an autonomous organisation under Ministry of Culture, has been actively supporting Patachitra artists through training, orientation and awareness programmes to help them adapt their practice to contemporary trends and market requirements. Patachitra artists are regularly facilitated and encouraged to participate in State, National and International Fairs and Exhibitions.

 

Shri Shekhawat also informed that the Regional Centre of LKA at Kolkata has organised a week-long art camp where five-seven patua artists from West Bengal participated to help Patachitra artists. Lalit Kala Akademi Regional Centre, Bhubaneswar also organises camps in which Patachitra artists are invited to participate along with other artists. He added that the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) under the Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India promotes and projects various facets of India’s diverse culture worldwide. As part of ICCR’s efforts to showcase diverse cultures of different regions, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with the State Government of Odisha on September 27, 2024 to promote Odisha’s culture abroad. Artworks in Patachitra style have been included and displayed in ICCR supported exhibitions abroad. He said, the Patachitra artists are regularly provided platforms at national and zonal-level festivals such as Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav, craft fairs, folk art festivals and thematic cultural events organised by Zonal Cultural Centres.