Patta Chitra basically means drawing on leaves.Patta is the leaf and Chitra means drawing.The idea got developed when in the ancient times people would use leaf as paper and write messages on it.As time went by, this practice stopped but palm leaves were still decorated in a very creative way, giving birth to this art form.

Earlier, it was practiced in Orissa and parts of Tamil Nadu however, now Patta Chitra art is practiced only in some parts of Orissa. Depending on the designs, color combination used etc, it was easy to make out if the creation belonged to Orissa or Tamil Nadu. There were some variations as per the land, where it was designed.Usually, Patta Chitra art had their designs inspired by Ramayana, Mahabharata the famous Hindu epics.

A very unusual aspect of this painting is only natural colors are used to add sparkle to the painting. As this art form is done as a part of religious activity, before the artists begin their work they follow certain rituals.It is considered to be very scared and hence some austerities are observed.A high level of cleanliness is maintained by the artists while on work.

Initially, prepared for religious reasons this art form benefited commercially also.It was due to the demand for Patta Chitra which generated mainly because of the belief that the pilgrimage to Puri was considered complete only after taking back home these artistically enriched leaves. It therefore became a good source of income for the traditional Patta Chitra painter.