Odisha's Unsung Guru Of Palm Leaf Craft Maga Nayak Who Has Rendered Lifelong Service To 'Pothi Chitra'
For 60 years, Guru Maga Nayak has trained generations of artists who have won awards. But 79-year-old master craftsman remains unrecognised in his own state.
Published : September 25, 2025 at 2:02 PM IST
By Shakti Prasad Mishra
Puri: Nayakpatna, a small village near Chandanpur in Puri district, owns a rare identity that differentiates it from others. Every one of its 110 households has, for generations, practised the painstaking craft of palm leaf inscriptions - known as Pothi Chitra to eke a living. From depictions of the mythologies like Ramayana and Mahabharata to images of gods, goddesses, and ancient motifs, these finely crafted artworks have travelled across India and abroad, fetching profits in lakhs and the admiration of tourists who visit the village.
Leading the craftsmen and carrying ahead the legacy is Guru Maga Nayak, now 79, who for more than six decades, has been training hundreds of artisans, ensuring the survival of the craft, and taken the art of Pothi Chitra beyond Odisha to international workshops and exhibitions. Sadly, despite his lifelong contribution, Maga Nayak has never been honoured with a state or national award, something that hurts his students and fellow artisans.
Born into a family of traditional palm leaf artists, Nayak learnt the craft when he was barely 12 years of age, under the tutelage of Guru Hadibandhu Mohapatra. By 25, he had started teaching others, passing on the knowledge of how to cure palm leaves, stitch them into manuscripts, etch scenes with a stylus, and fill them with natural colours made from hingul, harital, safeda, and neel. “The leaves are harvested, cut to size, and left to dry under the sun. Once dried, they are soaked in water infused with neem leaves to make it strong and keep insects away. The leaves are then dried again, stitched together with a needle and thread, and polished until smooth. Only then do they become a canvas,” explains Nayak. Since it is a time taking process, the work progresses slowly and intricate patterns etched meticulously, sometimes taking six months for a single work to be completed.
“Many of my students have learnt the art well and gone on to win state and national awards,” says Nayak, his voice dipped in pride. “I am happy and have no regrets. Though I have not received any award till date, my greatest joy is to see my students win. I have given my entire life to the promotion of this art. And awards never bothered me. But I wish the government would come forward to help our artisans so that this tradition can survive,” he adds.
His disciple Manjari Nayak, who received the National Award for Pothi Painting in 2019, feels it an injustice that her guru remains unrecognised. “I received the National Award for Pothi Painting in 2019 but my guru Maga Nayak has never been recognised. If my art has reached national and international levels, it is because of the art I learnt from Guruji. So I feel it is time the state government at least honoured him with a lifetime achievement award. That would be the true recognition of his contribution,” says Manjari.
Another student, Sarat Pradhan, also feels that Maga Nayak has remained unsung despite his contribution to art. “When we see our Guru in the last stage of his life without any recognition, it pains us. If his students win national awards, how can the Guru, who has taught them, be forgotten? If this is not neglect, what is,” he questions.
Maga Nayak’s son Prasanna Nayak is also one of the front runner artists who has learnt the art from his father. “Book painting is an ancient tradition and the Bhagabata, Ramayana, Mahabharata, all were once written on palm leaves, with illustrations. Evidence can be found across museums. Nayakpatna village is probably the only one where more than 350 artisans are engaged in this work. People from across the seven seas come to the village to learn from my father,” says he.
An application for a GI tag for Pothi Chitra was made in 2021 but has not yet been granted. If the government helps, this craft will flourish, and many unemployed youths can take it up as the means of livelihood. “But Nayakpatna is ignored. Even though it lies so close to Raghurajpur, which is famous for pattachitra, our village has suffered a lot. There is no road, no signage, no facility for tourists. How will this art survive without government promotion and patronage?” Prasanna asks.
Officials, too, admit to the contribution of Maga Nayak. Subhasish Mohapatra, Deputy Director of the State Handicrafts Training Centre in Puri, says, “Guru Maga Nayak is undoubtedly the torch-bearer of palm leaf art. He has laid the foundation of Nayakpatna’s palm leaf art and trained generations of artists who have brought national and international recognition to Odisha. He deserves not only a state-level honour but national recognition too.”
Nayak’s work has been showcased at national exhibitions, universities, and even taught to foreign researchers from America, Spain, Holland, New Zealand, and France. His students, who learn the art from Maga Nayak, carry forward his legacy, while he continues, even at this age, to etch with steady hands and keeps an eye for details and finesse.
“Foreigners come and learn, staying here for months. Our art is highly appreciated but our artisans do not get properly compensated for the hard work. Maybe that is the reason the younger ones are leaving the village for greener pastures. If the government does not step in with training and support, this tradition will remain static,” warns the Guru.
For now, Nayakpatna, is awaiting status of a heritage village. A nameplate at Chandanpur Bazaar is the only official marker pointing to its existence. The approach road is narrow, unsuitable for cars, and there are no facilities for tourists who visit to learn or buy some masterpieces.
Guru Maga Nayak, finds satisfaction in his disciples’ success. But ask him if he and the art village have got their due after all these years and he says, “I hope that the village will be recognised and its craftsmen get recognition soon. I may or may not be alive to see it, but I have made sure, the art will live in the hands of those who have learnt from me,” Guru Maga says.
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