Patta-chitra means painting on cloth/patta. It has flourished in Odisha since earlier than 15th century.

Earth, stone, and mineral colours are used for painting on patta or specialised canvas medium prepared organically for painting such as: vermillion red- hingula (cinnabar); brick red- geru (red ochre); yellow- hartala (orpiment); white- sankh (conch shell); black- lamp black; gum resin- kaintha plant etc.

For Sarees/stoles/dupattas/fabric : Fabric colour is used, so that the color remains steadfast.
Some of the popular themes are Radha-Krishna, Mahabharat, Ramayana, Lord Jagannath, Dasavatar etc. Our beautiful mythological tales are often told by Pattachitra paintings.