Traditional: Patachitra practised by the artists in Purulia is of a different genre altogether, as it is closely related to the Santhal customs. They mainly paint the Jadupat. They believe that their life after death depends on the pats made by the Jadupatuas. When a member of the Santhal community dies, it is the custom of the Jadupatuas to visit the house of the mourning family. They arrive with a pat with the picture of the dead person drawn on it without depicting the eyes. After receiving money from the relatives of the dead, the Jadupatuas hand over the pat after painting the eyes. The Santhals believe that, after the eyes are painted, the deceased can find his path to heaven. The Jadupat has the stories of Baha Parab, about the evolution of the earth, the narrative of Ranarangini Kali, the court of Jomraj (God of Death) and handing over punishment. Apart from this, they also paint Jompot which describes the punishment handed over by Jom (the God of Death) for the crimes committed on earth. The Jompot is a narrative of the deeds of the sinner and the oppressor.
