Workshop on ‘Patna Kalam’ begins in Patna

Patna: A 10-day workshop on ‘Patna Kalam’ (Patna school of painting), organised jointly by the Patna chapter of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and ‘Your Heritage’, got off to a colourful start at the Buddha Smriti Park museum here on Saturday.As many as 40 artists drawn from across the state are attending the sixth such workshop organised in a row.Inaugurating the workshop, B D College’s principal Ratna Amrit pleaded for revival of this old art form of Bihar which was once quite popular in the world. Bihar will once again be known all over the world if Patna school of painting is revived, she said.She also praised the efforts of INTACH in enriching the cultural heritage of the state.She further observed that the recent initiative of INTACH to get the popular Chhath festival included in the UNESCO’s intangible heritage list is quite praiseworthy and asserted that B D College would also join in this move.Bihar Museum’s former director Umesh Chandra Dwivedi, in his presidential said Patna school of painting, a distinct style from Bihar, was quite popular from the 18th to mid-20th centuries. It was well known for its depiction of everyday life and artisans, unique brush techniques, and use of natural colours extracted from plants and minerals.It features simple, clear, and proportionate figures on handmade paper or ivory, he said.INTACH’s state convener Bhairav Lal Das welcomed the guests. Buddha Smriti Park museum in charge Shiv Kumar Mishra proposed a vote of thanks.