Patuas are travelling minstrels of rural West Bengal. They go from village to village singing stories depicted on painted scrolls called pats. Their art has passed down from generation to generation.
The Patuas were originally Hindus who converted to Islam. So they observe both Muslim and Hindu customs and traditions and even celebrate Hindu festivals. Their scrolls depicting Hindu themes entertain audiences which include people of all religions. Pats were originally made on cloth. Today, they are simply made by sewing together sheets of handmade paper and painted with poster colours. A strip of bamboo is stuck on each end to help in rolling the scroll. The pats are usually .0.9 – 4.5m long and 10 – 35cm wide.
The pictures are drawn in a series of sequential panels. While narrating the story, the Patua rolls down the scroll as he proceeds from scene to scene. The Patuas are a great source of audio-visual education and entertainment in villages. They work on diverse themes — religion, mythology, morality, nature, politics, society etc. They can create awareness about important issues like family planning, dowry and AIDS.