What it is

• Pattachitra = cloth (patta) or palm-leaf (tala-patra) painting traditions that originated in Odisha (Puri/Raghurajpur) and also developed a distinct scroll-painting lineage in West Bengal (Naya, Pingla). Odisha Pattachitra is tightly tied to Jagannath temple rituals; Bengal Patachitra is sung as pater gaan (painted scrolls + storytelling).
  

Protected origin

• Orissa Pattachitra (Odisha) is a registered Geographical Indication (GI Application #88; certificate dated 10 Jul 2008) under India’s GI Act.
  
• Bengal Patachitra (West Bengal) received GI status in 2018 (Application #564).
  Why this matters for buyers: GI use signals provenance and lets you require GI logo plus Authorized-User details on labels/invoices.
  

Materials & process

Cloth Pattachitra (Odisha)

• Ground: cotton/silk cloth sized and stiffened with tamarind-seed gum; surface polished with chalk (conch-shell calcium carbonate) to a hard, glossy “gesso-like” base.
  
• Pigments (traditional): mineral & vegetable—hingula (red/cinnabar), haritala (yellow/orpiment), indigo (blue), lamp-black (black), conch-shell white.
  
• Iconography/format: bold black outlines, dense ornamented borders, Vaishnava themes (Jagannath, Krishna-lila), temple rites; “patas” also made for the Rath Yatra chariots.
  

Palm-leaf Pattachitra (Talapatra Chitra, Odisha)

• Substrate: cured palm leaves (sun-dried, soaked, turmeric treated), stitched into foldable “pothi.”
  
• Technique: designs etched with a stylus; outlines revealed by rubbing in lamp-soot/charcoal + oil; wipe-off leaves black lines in incisions

Bengal Patachitra (Naya, Pingla)

• Form: long scrolls painted in frames and performed with songs (pater gaan); distinct district colour palettes; now also adapted to apparel and decor. GI since 2018.
  

Region-specific strengths

• Raghurajpur (Puri, Odisha) is India’s best-known heritage crafts village for Pattachitra—developed by INTACH in 2000; every home doubles as a workshop; supplies temple-linked iconography and palm-leaf engraving.
  
• Material ecology (Odisha coast): traditional conch-shell white is specific to Odisha’s coastal availability; the GI application records that white pigment is made from locally available conch shells—a distinctive quality marker.
  
• Bengal’s Naya (Pingla) hub institutionalized as a cultural/tourism cluster; Govt. of West Bengal & UNESCO supported craft hub; annual Pot-Maya festival expands markets (scrolls + sung narratives).
  

Export classification (HS codes)

• Original paintings executed entirely by hand (on cloth or palm leaf) are classified under HS 9701 (typically 970110 for paintings/drawings/pastels; 970190 for collages & similar plaques). These are not “hand-decorated manufactured articles.”
  
• If the art is on a functional article (e.g., hand-painted box/scarf), the HS follows the article, not 9701. (9701 expressly excludes hand-decorated manufactured articles.)
  
• Antiquities export caution: works ≥100 years old (or certain manuscripts ≥75) fall under India’s Antiquities & Art Treasures Act, 1972—export restricted without Central Govt. permit. Contemporary Pattachitra is fine, but document the date/artist.
  

India export snapshot

(These figures cover all Indian “original paintings” under HS 9701; Pattachitra is a subset.)

• HS 970110 (paintings/drawings/pastels): India exported US$65.35 million in 2023. Top buyers: USA (~US$36.25m), UK (~US$14.53m), Japan (~US$6.62m), Hong Kong, Singapore
  
• HS 97 (Works of Art) total (broader than just 970110): US$169 million from India in 2023; 9701 accounts for the dominant share of HS-97 exports.
  

Quality markers to spec (Odisha & Bengal)

• Substrate: patta cloth (cotton/silk) vs talapatra (palm-leaf “pothi”); target gsm/leaf sizes.
  
• Ground & binder: demand tamarind-seed gum + chalk/conch ground for Odisha patta; this yields a characteristically glossy, durable surface.
  
• Pigments: ask for natural mineral/vegetal palette (hingula, haritala, indigo, lamp-black, conch-white) or state if synthetic fast colours are acceptable; insist on pigment list.
  
• Iconography: Odisha—Jagannath/temple narratives; Bengal—scroll storytelling frames and local palettes; specify theme set(s).
  
• Borders/line quality: crisp black outline, dense ornamental borders, even burnish; for palm-leaf, fine uniform incision and clean soot inlay.
  
• Provenance: for GI-labelled orders, request GI logo + Authorized User ID and cluster address (e.g., Raghurajpur; Naya, Pingla).
  

Buyer checklist

• Product: “Original Pattachitra (Odisha) on cotton patta” or “Talapatra Chitra (palm-leaf ‘pothi’)” or “Bengal Patachitra scroll.”
  
• Size & mounting: unmounted roll, framed, or scroll with dowels; for palm-leaf, number of panels/leaves and folding format.
  
• Materials: confirm ground (tamarind/chalk), pigment type (natural/mineral vs synthetic), varnish/finish (if any).
  
• Documentation: artist name, date, cluster, GI proof if claimed; declaration that the work is new (non-antique) for customs.
  
• HS code on invoice: 970110 (or 970190 for collages); do not use 9701 if it’s a painted manufactured item—classify by the article instead.
  
• Packaging: interleave with glassine/acid-free sheets; rigid tube/foam corners; humidity control; for palm-leaf, protect hinges/threads. (Best practice from museum handling; no special statutory rule.)
  

Leading clusters & institutions

• Raghurajpur (Puri): Odisha’s flagship Pattachitra & palm-leaf cluster, heritage village since 2000 (INTACH).
  
• Naya, Pingla (Paschim Medinipur): West Bengal scroll-painting + pater-gaan hub; GI implementation & craft hub supported by Govt. of West Bengal/UNESCO.
  

Quick summary of “India/region-specific edge”

• Temple ritual lineage (Odisha/Jagannath) + locally sourced conch-white give Odisha Pattachitra a distinct look/finish.
  
• Performative scrolls (Bengal) with pater-gaan storytelling create a unique product category (art + performance provenance) for collectors and culture programming.
  
• GI protection in both states enables provenance-driven branding and due-diligence for export.