Site Name:
Date: 1990-1999
Subject: Kanchi Abhiyan. Pattachitra is a traditional, cloth-based scroll painting. This pattachitra shows the legend of King Purushottama of Odisha (1466 – 1497 CE) who wished to marry the princess Padmavati, but her father, the King of Kanchi would not agree. The offended Purushottama waged a war against Kanchi but was defeated. He prayed to Jagannatha to help him and was told in a dream to wage war again and accordingly marched towards Kanchi. On the way he was met by the milkmaid Manika who told him that two soldiers on horseback, one dark and the other fair had eaten curd from her and had given her a ring to present to the King and collect her dues. Purushottama recognized the ring as Jagannatha’s and knew that Jagannatha and Balabhadra had preceded him to Kanchi. Purushottama won the war, took Padmavati captive and finally married her. Kanchi Kaaveri is a popular story in Odisha and a popular relief in the jagamohana (audience hall) of the Jagannatha temple. This object has been procured by Utkalika, Odisha State Co-operative Handicraft Corporation Ltd.