Chitrapothi

An important but little-known art form of Orissa is illustration on palm-leaf that flourished along with the Orissan tradition of copying kavya texts on palm-leaf manuscripts and illuminating them. This art form touched its zenith during the golden age of Oriya kavya literature in the 18th century when a large number of chitra-pothis (illustrated palm-leaf manuscripts) were done. Chitra-pothi: Illustrated palm-leaf manuscripts from Orissa traces the palm-leaf tradition of Orissa and the development of Oriya literature that provides the basis of palm-leaf art. It throws light on the making of the chitra-pothis and the nature of the texts that were illustrated weaving into the larger canvas the patron, the scribe and the artist, as it goes on to analyse palm-leaf art: as illumination of the text and as an art form.

J P Das

Poet, playwright and fiction writer J.P. Das’ Puri Paintings is a masterly volume on Orissan art. Co-authored Palm-leaf Miniatures: The Art of Raghunath Prusti of Orissa with Professor Joanna Williams of University of California, Berkeley.