Heritage Crafts Village : Raghurajpur

Raghurajpur is a heritage crafts village in Puri district, Odisha known for its master Pattachitra painters, an art form which dates back to 5 BC. in the region and Gotipua dance troupes, the precursor to the Indian Classical dance form of Odissi it also known as the birthplace of one of finest Odissi exponents and Guru, Kelu Charan Mohapatra. Apart from that the village is also home to crafts like Tussar paintings, palm leaf engravings, stone and wood carvings, wooden, cowdung and papier mache toys, and masks.In 2000, after a two-year research and documentation project by INTACH, starting 1998, the village was chosen to be developed as state's first heritage village and developed as a Crafts village, soon the village had an interpretation centre, commissioned artwork on the walls of the artists’ homes and a rest house. It also has the distinction of the only place where the traditional decoration called Patas, used under the throne of Lord Jagannath and on the three chariots during the annual Ratha Yatra festival, that takes place at pilgrimage town of Puri, some 14 km away, known for the Jagannath Temple.