Kalighat

Etymology: Originating in the Kalighat area near the Kali temple, this art form got its name from its place of origination. The art form is also called Kalighat pat in colloquial Bengali.

Origin: The tradition of Kalighat paintings developed in the 19th century near 'Kalighat Kali temple' in Kolkata.

Location: These paintings come from the city of Kolkata in West Bengal.

Community: Producing Kalighat paintings were often a joint effort by a group of artisans who usually belonged to the same family. A chain of order was formed where one family member would grind and create homemade dyes, another would draw the outline illustration for the painting, and it would pass to others till the painting reached its completion. The artisans who make Kalighat paintings are called 'patuas' after the name Kalighat pat.

Relevance: These paintings were sold to visitors as souvenirs outside the Kali temple in Kalighat.

Historical background: Since this art form was conceived outside a temple area, the theme for these scroll paintings significantly leaned towards depicting deities and scenes from the Hindu epics. These paintings also took a modernist turn as the contemporary Kolkata (then Calcutta) was observing a 'Babu' influence socially. These paintings depicted contemporary social issues and the independence movement too.

Culture and societies: Kolkata has seen many changes in its social structure which have greatly impacted the art produced in the Bengal Schools.

Religious significance: The Oriental school of Kalighat temple paintings received patronage from the pilgrims who visit the Kalighat temple as they would purchase these scrolls as souvenirs. This created a huge market for these temple scrolls as religious-themed paintings were increasing in demand, so much so that other products such as wooden carved dolls and figurines were also created.

Central motifs and their significance: There are two schools of Kalighat painting, Oriental School and Occidental School. Oriental school of Kalighat paintings depicted religious figures which predominately were goddesses Durga and Laxmi, scenes from sacred texts, and portrayal of Ram and Sita from the poems in the Ramayana. Occidental School of Kalighat paintings engaged in displaying everyday life, changes taking place in Kolkata, social evils, crimes, patriotic themes, and illustrations of freedom fighters such as Tipu Sultan and Rani Laxmibai.

Medium used: Pigments made out of natural raw materials are used which are mostly water-based opaque colours. These colours are extracted from turmeric roots, the petals of the 'Aparajita' flower, and the residue of burning lamps. Colloidal tin was used as a substitute for silver to highlight embellishments, replicate jewellery, and represent other semi-precious stones like pearls.

Style: The oriental and occidental schools of paintings incorporated primary colours like blue, red, green, yellow, and complex colours such as indigo, silver, gold, and black. The human figures were attributed with round faces, elongated eyes, thin eyebrows, and thin and sharp noses. Their clothes were made simplistically and usually, the background was left blank; seldom curtains or pillars were added as well. The paintings did not have borders, unlike other miniatures.

Process: These paintings were made by the division of labor, as these were mass-produced as a product of commodity. The artisans who were involved in creating the Kalighat pattachitra were members of the same family or worked as a group of artisans from different fields. Usually, a master artist would sketch out a preliminary drawing which was then passed down to the other artisans who were assigned particular tasks. The homemade pigments were ground and prepared by one member. At the same time, another would contribute by preparing the scroll, whilst others would put the first wash, paint in the natural dyes, and finally add the final round of embellishments, decorations, and outlines in black.

Change in the art over time: The visitors did not want to buy temple scrolls which were long and elaborate paintings and would take time to complete; so, the patuas resorted to painting simpler and less detailed pieces. These paintings had basic figures, and plain background, and eliminated any non-essential details. A shift from traditional to more contemporary mediums was also observed, the common base of fabric was replaced by paper, and the homemade pigments were replaced by store-bought gauche paints.

These paintings served as a source of inspiration for many contemporary and post-modern artists such as 'Jamini Roy'. In today's world, Kalighat paintings are part of collections in museums and galleries worldwide, like the Victoria Memorial Museum in Kolkata and Naprstek Museum in Prague.

1. Panda, C, Sinha, S. (2011) Kalighat Paintings from the Collection of Victoria and Albert Museum London and Victoria Memorial Hall Kolkata. United Kingdon: Victorial & Albert Pub.

2. Sarkar, A. N. (2000) Kalighat Paintings. India: Roli Books.

3. Jain, J. (1999) Kalighat Painting Images from a Changing World. India: Mapin Pub.