The word patachitra is reclaimed from the Sanskrit word pata, usually means a cloth piece, Chitra means painting or picture. Lot of craftsmen skill and hard labor is required to execute fine patachitra.
Puri famous for its temple and beach preserves its traditional art form. In the famous splendidly carved Jagannath temple, an annual ceremonial has given rise to a new art form. Paintings made on specially treated cloth or patas are made by the painter and hung inside the sacred compound of the temple. Patas creation of a specific school of painting has given rise to totally a new creation- Patachitra. It is accomplished by the artist using varied colors, sometimes in red, black, yellow, white and indigo blue. Raghurajpur and Dandshahi villages are famous for their age-old art and paintings.
These patachitras are of great demand in India as well as in other countries. Tourists to Puri carry back home these exquisite patas or patachitras as mementos and gifts.