Kalantarer Jatray Banglar Pat

• Author: দীপককুমার বড় পণ্ডা (Dipakkumar Bar Pandya)
• Language: Bengali
• Edition: Hardcover
• ISBN: 9789354255762
• Pages: 388
• Weight: 535 grams

Book Description:

• Kalantarer Jatray Banglar Pat offers a profound exploration of the evolution of Bengali Pat (scroll) art, tracing its transformation from a religious folk art to a dynamic cultural expression in the modern era.
• The book examines how Pat art once deeply entwined with religious storytelling and songs, gradually adapted to the changing social and cultural landscape under colonial influence, and later, under the pressures of modernity.
• The narrative delves into how Pat's language has evolved, but its form and color techniques have largely remained unchanged, marking an interesting tension between tradition and modernity.
• The book also captures how Pat art has found a place in the modern world, both as an internationally recognized art form and as a decorative piece in contemporary homes, while still maintaining its roots in community-based storytelling.
• The shift from musical storytelling to becoming a curio is examined, reflecting broader social changes and the way Pat artists or Patuas themselves have been affected by the evolution of their art.
• The author, Dipakkumar Bar Pandya, uses a multidisciplinary approach combining modern sociology, psychology, and cultural studies to explain the changes in the art and life of the Pat artist in Bengal.
• This book is a vital contribution to understanding Bengali folk culture and Pat art within the context of modern socio-cultural transformations and the ongoing preservation and adaptation of traditional arts in the face of modernity.