22 x 30 Inch | Mahishasura Mardini Durga With Lion | Original Hand Painted Kalighat Painting | Natural Pigment On Paper

• Uttam Chitrakar, a State Award-winning artist from West Bengal, has been practicing Kalighat painting for over two decades, carrying forward his family’s hereditary tradition.
• This painting portrays Goddess Durga as Mahishasura Mardini, mounted on her lion, symbolizing divine power and victory of good over evil.
• Hand-painted on paper with cloth backing, it is created using natural pigments prepared traditionally by the artist.
• The work reflects the bold outlines, fluid brushwork, and expressive figures that define the 19th-century Kalighat style from Kolkata.
• The artwork is carefully rolled and packed in a sturdy PVC pipe to ensure safe delivery until framed for display.

Kalighat painting originated in 19th-century Kolkata, near the famous Kalighat temple, where artisans created vibrant paintings for pilgrims. Known for bold outlines, fluid strokes, and minimal yet expressive backgrounds, these works initially depicted Hindu deities but soon expanded to social satire and everyday scenes. Traditionally made on handmade paper with natural colours and squirrel-hair brushes, Kalighat paintings remain a celebrated example of Bengal’s artistic heritage.

The Kalighat painter Uttam Chitrakar, based in West Bengal, belongs to a hereditary community of artists and has been practicing the artform for over 22 years. Trained from childhood by elders in his family, who traditionally painted narrative scrolls with songs (patachitra), he was drawn to the distinct Kalighat style and chose to specialize in it. Beginning at the age of 13, Uttam is now among the very few—only three artists in his village—who continue to keep this tradition alive. His works, rooted in the 19th-century Kalighat school of Kolkata, depict themes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Radha–Krishna stories, reimagined through fluid brushwork, bold lines, simplified forms, and expressive characters. Recognized with the 2025 State Award, he has exhibited at the Ojas Art Gallery, Delhi, and actively conducts workshops to train the younger generation. For Uttam, Kalighat painting is both a cultural duty and a personal calling: “This artform is my identity. By painting, I continue the voice of my ancestors while bringing Kalighat to a new audience.”

Material: Paper with Cloth Support

Dimensions: 22 inch x 30 inch

Paint Used: Natural Colors

Suitable for: Indoor or Covered Area

Waterproof Coating: No

Shipped rolled (and placed in a Plastic / hard cardboard roll)

1 x Painting

Frame the artwork for long-lasting preservation.
Clean gently with a dry, soft cloth only.