Patna Kalam Painting workshop
By A Correspondent
Patna: The eighth edition of the Patna Kalam Paintings Training-cum-Workshop (8.0), jointly organised by the INTACH Patna Chapter and the Bihar Puraavid Parishad, commenced on Tuesday and will continue until February 25, 2025.
Inaugurating the workshop, chief guest Padma Shri awardee Sudha Varghese said that reviving Patna Kalam has helped preserve one of the most sensitive mediums of artistic expression. She stressed that the art form must also be developed as a sustainable means of livelihood for artists.
Presiding over the function, former director of the Patna Museum Dr Umesh Chandra Dwivedi recalled that Patna Kalam once held a special place in the museum’s art gallery and that invaluable Kalam paintings are still preserved in its collection.
Magadh Mahila College principal Prof Nagendra Prasad Verma said that Patna Kalam was long believed to have become extinct, as recorded in history books. “Seeing such a large number of young artists eager to learn this tradition is deeply heartening,” he remarked. He noted that art flourished remarkably during the reign of Mughal emperor Jahangir, before beginning to decline later. During the colonial period, a new style known as Company painting emerged, which later became popular as the Patna Kalam style.
Dr Sanjay Kumar Jha, regional director of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, said participants should also learn the finer aspects of Patna Kalam, including its artistic principles, conservation, and commercial presentation.
Senior journalist and art writer Reena Sopam described Patna Kalam as a visual documentation of everyday life. She said the paintings captured the lifestyle of Patna during the colonial era and today serve as an important source for understanding that period. Sharing her experience, she recalled that when she attempted to write a newspaper feature on Patna Kalam in 2002, many had dismissed it as a lost art. “It is a matter of great joy to see it vibrant once again,” she said, adding that the art form is currently in a restoration phase, with INTACH and the Bihar Puraavid Parishad playing a crucial role in taking its significance to the wider artistic community.
INTACH Patna Chapter member Bhairav Lal Das said that reviving Patna Kalam requires collective, prejudice-free efforts by young artists, art critics, art traders and government officials alike, as it is a shared heritage. He expressed confidence that quality works would be welcomed by the art market.
Resource person Prof Dinesh Kumar elaborated on the six characteristics of visual art described in the *Kamasutra* and explained the fundamentals of aesthetics to the trainees. Proposing the vote of thanks, INTACH Bihar co-convenor Dr Shivkumar Mishra said Patna Kalam is a proud legacy and a collective responsibility, assuring that INTACH would continue its efforts to protect it from extinction.
The programme is being coordinated by Ranjit Kumar, with around 60 artists undergoing training. Among those present were Alka Das, Savita Kumari, senior artist and alumnus of Visva-Bharati University Shyamal Das, senior advocate of the Patna High Court Harsharanjan Sinha, along with a large number of artists and intellectuals. The workshop will conclude on February 25.
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