Kalighat

Kalighat art originated in 19th-century Kolkata, West Bengal, in the neighbourhood surrounding the revered Kalighat Kali Temple. The tradition developed through patuas—scroll painters who adapted their storytelling practice into individual paintings for pilgrims and visitors to the temple.

Kalighat artists demonstrate the form through bold, sweeping brushstrokes, fluid outlines, expressive figures and uncluttered backgrounds. Traditionally painted by hand, the works rely on confident lines and a limited palette rather than intricate ornamentation. Subjects range from gods and goddesses to scenes of everyday life, social customs and human behaviour.

What makes the tradition distinctive is the artist’s ability to convey movement, emotion and narrative with remarkable simplicity. Even today, practitioners continue to preserve its characteristic visual language while interpreting themes in ways that keep the art form relevant to contemporary audiences.