THE VERSE OF A HUMBLE PATUYA

The heritage of pot Chitra of Bengal is still alive though its existence is in deadly crisis. The patuas who are still practicing this art form are facing miserable hardship. Santanu Patua was an eminent Patua-Artist of Birbhum, West Bengal who inherited this traditional Art and design from his father,Baanku Patua, the another eminent traditional Patua-Artist of his time.
Incidentally a well-known art collector of Santineketan, Satya Sri
Ukeel happened to meet Santanu and gave him a diary in mid-2014 asking
him to keep the day to day notes of his daily life. When we came to
know Sri Ukeel has archived that document, we plunged to the idea of
making a documentary film on Santanu.
At the very primary stage, we met Santanu in the Poushmela ground and
could start project. But unfortunately he passed away within few
months. We consider it to be a great loss in the field of traditional
Art and culture of Bengal and of course for us .We decided to complete
the project.
This documentation wanders through the entire life- pattern of the
artist complemented by the diary he was asked to write, Dr Ukeel's
memories and statements and our experience of witnessing such an
introvert, passionate and at the same time ritualistic artist to
unfold himself in so very unromantic manner.