This micro art history study documents in its first part all known samples of anasara pati-paintings, i.e. annually produced pictures on cloth which serve as temporary replacements for the then absent wooden icons in the temples of Lord Jagannatha in Puri and South Orissa. Since the iconography of this type of ritualistic paintings is defined by tradition and has to be strictly adhered to by the painters, changes in iconographic details and even stylistic features can only be minimal. Nevertheless, minor deviations occur. By carefully viewing these paintings, the exact range of variations, the scope for idiosyncrasies, personal liberties and preferences and the perpetuation of changes in the production of these religious pictures can be pointed out in the face of an ideology advocated and severely controlled by temple authorities that doesn’t permit something like change but believes in the permanence of eternal values and forms.
In the second part of the book the authors reconstruct the history of anasara-pictures. Here the focus is on why two different iconographies for the Jagannatha triad co-exist and under what conditions these painted classical triptychs may have been invented and why they continue to flourish.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dinanath Pathy
Dinanath Pathy, is a practising contemporary painter, writer and art historia. Designed and curated International Exhibitions-Indian Popular Art in Sweden and USSR for Festival Orissan Festival in Indonesia. Acted as Commissioner, Director and Jury for prestigious International events like, 7th Triennale India, 4th Cairo Biennale, National Contemporary Art Exhibition etc. Co-author to Dr. Eberhard Fischer for publications-Orissa Kunst and Kulture in Nordost Indien, 1980, Die Perlenkette Dem Geliebten Elf illustrierte Palmblatter Zur Rasika Haravali, 1990, Murals for goddesses and Gods-The Tradition of Osakothi Ritual Paintings in Orissa, 1996. Illustrated Childern books for Unicef, New York in collaboration with Eberhard and Barbara Fischer. Author of Traditional Paintings of Orissa, Essence of Orissan Paintings, Painted Icons and Mural Paintings in Orissa. Exhibited in India and in Zurich, Japan, Indonesia, Sweden, Moscow, China and London. Awarded President of India Silver Plaque for Painting, A.L. Basham Memorial Awarded President of India Silver Plaque for Painting, A.L. Basham Memorial Award for Research, Sahitya Akademi Award for Creative Writing, and Certificate of Honour in 98 International China Art Expo. Recipient of British Council Fellowship, Nehru Trust, Victoria & Albert Museum Fellowship, Japan Foundation Fellowship and BEF Foundation, Zurich Fellowship. Held important assignments-Curator of Art and Crafts, Orissa State Museum, Founder Principal, B.K. College of Art and Crafts, Bhubaneswar and Secretary, Lalit Kala akademi, New Delhi. Now working on "Renewal Art-The Indian Tradition with specific reference to the work of Citrakaras in Orissa" on a Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowsship.
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