Patua

The Patua (Bengali: পটুয়া, paṭuẏā) are an artisan community found in the state of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha in India and parts of Bangladesh.

Hindu Patuas are active in the Kalighat and Kumartuli regions of Calcutta, along with some other parts of West Bengal, where they are reduced in number.

Scholars argue that the Patuas, were originally Hindus, were cast out of the Hindu society for not following canonical proceedings in pursuing their trade.

[1] Although Chitrakars origin is difficult to be precisely determined, historical and mythological memories coincide that their existence is traceable to the 13th century.

There are a number of theories as to the origin of this community, one which relates to the fact that they were cast out when they fell out with their Brahmin priests.

Chitrakars themselves might have converted to Islam as a strategy to avoid the oppression by a hierarchy of subcastes created during the Sen Dynasty.

[1][2] Patuas, like the Kumars, started out in the village tradition as painters of scrolls or pats telling the popular mangal stories of the gods and goddesses.

Some villages where there are communities of Patuas include - Karbelia, Panchthupi, Kandi, Gokarna, Amlai, Dokshinkhanda, Jhilli, etc.