Breaking the stereotype of Matrimony

Naya Village located in West Bengal has an age-old tradition in their community where men pay dowry, marry women, and shift to their house. The community embarks on the freedom of “women” who express themselves through their art.

( https://indianfolkart.org/product/indian-traditional-marriage-scene-24-x-60/) - A Representation of marriage possession through patachitra

In a country like India, one of the most heard and told stories includes that of the ultimate destiny of any man or woman to get into the holy matrimony. Talking about marriage here's a community that breaks all odds and follows a unique custom, unlike the rest of the country. Naya is a small village in West Bengal's Pingla block in the West Midnapore district. The location is well-known for housing a community of Bengali artisans known as Potuas, also known as Chitrakars or image makers. These craftspeople specialize in creating a pot or painting narrative scrolls.

It is a custom in the community where the men pay a bride price (dowry) and get into the marital relationship. As professional artists, the couple goes to the homes of particularly wealthy individuals (typically zamindars and landlords, feudal lords, administrative heads, etc.). The patios or chitrakaars would display the Pata Chitra scrolls at different households and sing pater gaan that they had self-composed from various folklore, mythology, and epics in exchange for payment in cash or the form of grains, food, and clothing. The painter's homes also have colorful murals on the walls that each tell a different tale. Even painted wooden trinkets like vases and wall hangings can be seen littering the porches of their homes or businesses.

The majority of Patuas or Chitrakaars belong to the underprivileged and minority sections of the community. One of the most remarkable displays of marriage custom is done through their paintings of the Dariya fish. All the fish have been invited to the wedding of a dariya fish, and this scene is about their celebration. Dhaak and dhol motifs serve as a visual representation of the bridal festival (the traditional percussion instruments for any auspicious occasion)."Let's go for the marriage of the dariya fish (Catfish), O Rangeela!," sings the opening line of the song that tells the tale. The form's simplicity and strong edges indicate traditional painting techniques. The fish are so busy celebrating and eating that none anticipate the approaching danger. Because he was not invited to the wedding, the Boal fish, also known as a monster fish, appears and eats everyone. In a world where the wealthy and strong consistently try to rule over and take advantage of the weak, the hierarchy and socioeconomic divides are metaphorically criticized in this tale.

In the past, the village's women were more involved in doll-making. Later, though, several of them began designing Patachitras under the direction of more experienced Potuas. Also, the artwork exhibits their original thought. The men and women in the village share equal grounds in exhibiting and celebrating their art form. This village is an example for all of us to look up to be it their artistry or custom. We belong to the generation indulged in technology. This community remains a souvenir of the past, celebrating its unique traditional values and representing the same through its art form.