A painting on a palm leaf. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Oct. 28: The tale of Orissa’s rich heritage has often been found on ancient relics of palm leaf engravings. This 2,000-year-old art of etching manuscripts and religious texts on dried palm leaves has found a place in the modern lifestyle too. Palm leaf paintings have reinvented itself in the form of wall hangings, bookmarks and showpieces for modern interiors.

Once adorning the walls of majestic temples and royal palaces of the state, today palm-leaf etchings and paintings enhance the look of drawing rooms. As demand for exclusivity is on the rise, the palm-leaf artisans are giving a new twist to the traditional art.

Without distorting the traditional carvings of deities, mythological figurines and glimpses of rural and tribal life, the skilled craftsmen are now trying to depict similar art form on wall hangings. Contemporary themes are also seen. The paintings mostly flaunt rich colours while palm-leaf engravings showcase the intricate art of carving.

Bookmarks are the latest palm leaf creations. Brushed with a coating of glaze and Radha-Krishna or Meerabai paintings or even modern art on them, the palm leaf bookmarks are a prized possession for booklovers of the city. The length of the bookmark varies from five to 10 inches and the palm leaf is usually tagged with a colourful thread ornamented with shells and beads.

“Palm leaf bookmarks are quite popular among the youngsters. Its low price makes it affordable. These bookmarks are available at a price of Rs 5. There are many people who collect palm leaf bookmarks. Therefore, we keep producing a large variety of designs, ” said Prakash, a salesperson at Orupa, a craft store.

Chinese fans, lamps and scrolls made of palm leaf are also attracting many. Depictions of episodes from Mahabharata, Ramayana, Radha-Krishna’s raas lila and Krishna’s regale with the gopis are some of the popular palm leaf designs. Floral motifs such as the dali (stems) are also a popular subject on these palm leaf artefacts.

The designs are created on the pious leaf using simple tools, but the entire process is intricate and takes days to make. Special vegetable colours are used for painting. Turmeric, paste of bean leaves, til oil and charcoal made from coconut shells are used to highlight the etchings.

“It is not easy to etch on palm leaves. We can hardly see what we are etching on the leaf. Only after applying the colours or inks on the final imprints can we see if the etching has been done properly. While etching, we have to be extra careful not to tear the leaf. The dali design, which is a favourite, is the most difficult to create,” said Prakash.

The modern décor pieces come at different prices. Starting at Rs 5, these pieces can range up to Rs 20,000.

These eco-friendly paintings and showpieces are steadily catching the attention of international art lovers. There is a firm rise in the exports of palm leaf crafts, with USA and Australia being the two major exporting destinations.

“Indian handicrafts are known worldwide for being eco-friendly. But unfortunately, we, at home, are yet to appreciate this special feature. I am a big fan of palm leaf painting and have palm leaf wall hangings of different shapes in my home,” said art lover Akruti Panda.

“The best thing about palm leaf crafts is that they do not wither away with time. In fact, they stay intact for years,” she said.