A herd of cows can be seen in this patachitra painting, which uses a blend of oral storytelling and visual imagery to convey histories and cultural beliefs. Cows are sacred for Hindus in India, depicted here by Montu Chitrakar, who belongs to a specialized class of artists. The word pata is derived from the Sanskrit and Pali word meaning cloth, and chitra means picture. Patachitra means picture painted on cloth, and it refers to a storytelling tradition originating in the Medinipur region of West Bengal. The painter community is called Patua, and all of the artists bear the same last name Chitrakar, meaning painter. Through this unique art form, the bard presents the story with pictures while simultaneously narrating a song called Pater Gaan. Patuas use colors extracted from various trees, leaves, fruits, flowers, seeds, and clay. Traditionally, their themes revolved around mythological stories, but the newer generations of Patuas paint about contemporary social issues ranging from violence against women to climate change. They are deftly capturing the changing times. Patachitra artists once had a unique style of presenting their craft: they would go to different villages, singing and telling the stories within the paintings with song and ethos to these themes. Interestingly, despite the fact they all belonged to the Muslim community and practiced Islam faith, they all painted about Hindu gods and goddesses and sang songs in their praise. They did not see their religious beliefs as a barrier to their craft.
