Patachitra, literally means paintings (chitra) done on cloth (pata). These paintings were made for the Jaganath Temple in Puri; Jaganath or the “Lord of the Universe” is considered an aspect of Vishnu or more specifically Krishna. The stories depicted in these paintings revolve around the life of Krishna and may include other Vaishnava deities like Ram.

Stylistically these paintings drew their inspiration from the mural paintings of Puri, Bhubaneshwar and Konark. The paintings are made as dedications to the temples, especially those at Puri.