Patua Community of West Bengal
A Study of Socio-Economic and Cultural Changes
By Dipanjan Dey
A research-based study of Bengal’s Patua community, Patachitra traditions and socio-cultural change.
About the Book
Patua Community of West Bengal examines the historical narratives, social life and changing cultural contexts of the Patua or Chitrakar community in West Bengal. It brings together questions of identity, livelihood, religious orientation and the continuing place of Patashilpa in a changing world.
The book treats Patachitra not as a static cultural image, but as a living practice shaped by community histories, songs, occupations and contemporary pressures.
What the Research Explores
The study considers the origins and historical identity of the Patua community; Patachitra and Patashilpa; Patua Geet; settlements across West Bengal; social and economic change; occupational change; religious and cultural orientation; and the effects of modernisation and globalisation. It also documents Thar Bhasha, the community’s code language.
Field Research and Documentation
Drawing substantially on fieldwork, interviews with community members and artists, and primary material including Patachitra and Patua Geet, the research is supported by archival and non-archival sources, Census records, district gazetteers, government records, libraries, museums, organisations and published and unpublished material.
This combination of field research and historical research gives the publication a grounded account of continuity, change and the challenges facing Patashilpa.
Research across West Bengal
The publication maps Patua settlements and draws on field-based research across multiple districts of West Bengal.
About Dipanjan Dey
Dipanjan Dey is a Krishnanagar-based researcher and writer on regional history who teaches History at Chapra Bangaljhi Mahavidyalaya, Nadia. He has studied the Patua community of West Bengal for almost two decades and completed his Ph.D. on the subject in 2024. He also edits the peer-reviewed research journal ATHENA (ISSN 2454-1605).
Inside the Publication
A selected interior page reflects the publication’s visual documentation of Patua and Patachitra material.
Gateway’s Role
Gateway Publishing House is the publisher of this volume. Gateway Graphics provided page layout, graphics and printing—supporting the conversion of long-form research into a structured publication.
Publication Details
- Author: Dipanjan Dey
- Publisher: Gateway Publishing House
- First published: May 2025
- ISBN: 978-93-92251-89-4
- Printed price: ₹1000
- Cover design: Kajal Ganguly
- Page layout, graphics & printing: Gateway Graphics
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