Framing the Goddess: The Almost Forgotten Beauty of Bengal’s Chalchitra Art

 Introduction: The Frame Beyond the Idol

In the grand spectacle of Durga Puja, the idol of Goddess Durga often steals the spotlight, adorned with vibrant attire and majestic weapons. Yet, beyond this central image lies a lesser-known but equally magnificent tradition, the Chalchitra. Literally meaning ‘picture as the backdrop’, Chalchitra is a painted canvas that forms the halo-like semi-circular background to the idol, transforming the entire tableau into a mythological panorama. More than just an aesthetic frame, the Chalchitra, also known as ‘Durga Chal’, ‘Devi Chal’ or simply ‘Chali’ and sometimes also used for other idols (but prevalently in Durga Puja), is a storytelling medium, a cultural emblem, and an exquisite art form that encapsulates Bengal’s religious fervor, folk artistry, and historical continuity.

Origin: Where It All Began

The Chalchitra tradition traces back its origin almost 300 years ago. It finds its root in the rural parts of Bengal, specially of Nadia, Birbhum, Bankura and Medinipur. At its heart, Chalchitra grew out of the Patachitra style, or scroll painting, done by Patuas, Bengal’s folk artists and storytellers.

In those early days, the Chalchitra wasn’t just pretty, it had a lot of purposes. It was not only to give a balance to the entire idol ensemble, but also to create a certain artistic aesthetic and help to tell religious stories to those people who couldn’t read. Behind the goddess, these painted panels would show scenes from the Devi Mahatmya, the Ramayana, or local legends, creating a divine setting that was both spiritual and educational.

Now comes the preparation part. To ensure the right proportions for each structure, requires a keen eye and great skill in symmetry. After the workers cut and attach different pieces of bamboo canes together, the frame is then attached with cotton cloth or paper and clay. When dried, these structure turn into the goddess’s stage into something divine and dynamic just by using some natural colours. It was like setting the stage for a grand performance, with the Chalchitra as the backdrop that made everything come alive.

 How It Flourished: Paint, Patronage, and Pride

The tradition truly blossomed when Bengal’s wealthy landowning families, known as bonedi baris, started hosting their own elaborate Durga Pujas. These households were proud patrons of the arts. They didn’t just want an idol; they wanted an entire scene, a story, a spectacle.

So, they asked the clay artisans, or sometimes artists from the Patua community, to paint Chalchitras that were custom-made to suit their taste, their beliefs, and often, their egos. Each family had its own style, its own preferred themes, and its own way of framing the divine. For instance, the Chalchitra of Rani Rashmani’s Durga Puja in Janbazar, Kolkata, is distinct in its own style of depicting Asta Sakhi and the two Bastraharan scenes from Hindu mythology.

Some Chalchitras were simple; others were grand, stretching across multiple panels and depicting entire mythological tales. Over time, different styles emerged; some more traditional, some more experimental. But all shared one thing in common: the belief that art could bring us closer to the gods.

Bengali educationist and essayist Sudhir Chakraborty, in his book ‘Chalchitra’, notes that a typical Chalchitra of the present time has two warlike images on both sides, usually with the Devi fighting the demons. In the middle is Mahadev, to fill up the blank spaces, images of Ram and Sita or Krishna’s Vrindavan Leela are often illustrated. Other than this, Brahma, Vishnu, Indra, Narad and Dakkhya are also present. But Chalchitra once had an even wider display of figures like the Dashavatars (ten primary avatars of Vishnu) or the Devi’s Ashtasakhi.

Variations: Stories in Every Stroke

With time, some distinct variations of Chalchitra, came into the spotlight. Bangla Chali, Tanachouri Chala, Mathchouri Chala, Markini Chali, Girja Chal, Sarvasundari Chala, Dothaki Chala are some of them, though the last three are believed to be on the verge of extinction now.

 Bangla Chali

This is the oldest of all types of chali. The clay artisans of Krishnanagar is believed to have started using this type of chali. It surrounds the main structure of the ekchala of the idol, made in the ancient Bengali style almost in a circular manner. Since it is slightly larger than the structure, it also hangs slightly on both sides beyond the structure. The Krishnanagar Rajbari Puja is one of the pujas in which Bengali chali is still used.

 Markini Chali

The Markini chali is the youngest in terms of time. Its structure is very close to modern architecture. From the British period to the present day, this style of chali is the most widely used in both family and public worship. While the Bengali chali is almost circular, the Markini chali is semicircular. There are two pillars on either side of the idol. This chali surrounds the back of the idol’s head in a semicircular shape across the two pillars.

 In Popular Culture: From Pujas to Pop Art

Though Chalchitra might seem like an old tradition, it hasn’t stayed trapped in the past, but its influence can be found in places that might not be expected.

In films like ‘Durgeshgarer Guptadhan’, Chalchitra is a central theme to the story. Cult film posters like ‘Debi’, or the more recent film ‘Chalchitra’, followed the style of Chalchitra in their calligraphic design. In recent years, theme pandals in Kolkata have reimagined Chalchitra as a material to decorate the pandal. The idea remains the same, use art to tell divine stories, but with a twist.

Designers have also caught on. Wall murals, greeting cards, and coffee table books have brought this art form from puja pandals to urban drawing rooms.

In a way, Chalchitra is becoming what it always was, a living, evolving art form.

 Current Status: Lost, Found, and Finding Its Way Again

Chalchitra was typically seen in an ‘ekchala pratima’ (idols which are placed in a single frame). Despite its beauty, the Chalchitra tradition nearly vanished in the 21st century. The rise of temporary idols, Barowari (collective) Puja arrangements, readymade decorations, and changing tastes meant fewer families used it. Artisans, as the work became merely seasonal, being unable to find work, either switched trades or gave up altogether.

Now-a-days, there theme-pandal artisans sometimes see the Chalchitra as a material for decoration, as mentioned earlier. For example, artist Sanatan Dinda used the Chalchitra as a canvas to reproduce Picasso’s Guernica, to complete the theme of a Durga Puja pandal. Sometimes it is also used as a canvas for protesting just as graffiti or wall murals.

Though the traditional illustrations are now found only in museums or some Rajbaris, the art is not yet obsolete. Instead of hand painting, a lot of Chalchitras are now printed and pasted.

But on the other hand, there are some artists who are still trying to maintain the tradition. Reba Pal of Krishnanagar, Nadia, is one of them. Even being in her 80s, she still doesn’t forget to refill her colour palette to ornate the backdrop of Devi Durga idol.

But, without consistent support, documentation and demand, this art could be extinct for ever. To revive, it needs not just nostalgia, but nurturing.

 Conclusion: The Goddess in Her Painted Frame

To conclude, Chalchitra is not just art. It’s a bridge between the divine and the mortal, the ancient and the modern, the mythical and the real. It reminds us that storytelling doesn’t need words. Sometimes, all it takes is colour, devotion, and a brush guided by faith.

As Durga Puja becomes more glamorous and global, let’s not forget the quiet power of this humble canvas. In the brushstrokes of the Chalchitra, we don’t just see the goddess, we see our history, our beliefs, and our artistic soul.

So the next time you see a Durga idol, take a moment to look behind her. That glowing frame of painted stories? That’s Bengal speaking to you—in colour, culture, and memory.

 

 

REFERENCES:

NEWSPAPER OR MAGAZINE ARTICLE

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2. Basu, Mou, “Chalchitrer Ache Nanan Itihas, Kibhabe Procholon Holo Shilpa-sushamay Bhora Chalchitrer Byaboharer”, The Truth Of Bengal, October 7, 2024. https://truthofbengal.com/durga-puja-2024/chalchitra-has-various-history-how-is-the-usage-of-rice-picture-filled-with-industrial-subtleties/

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