Chitrakar is a caste within the Newar community of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. The Newar caste system is divided according to profession. Accordingly, Chitrakars were painters and mask makers. In Nepal Bhasa, this caste is called "Pun" or "Puna". The literal translation of the word Chitrakar from Sanskrit is image maker where "Chitr" in Sanskrit means an image, and "akar" the maker.
Traditional occupation
The Pun or Chitrakar paint paubhas used in prayer rooms and murals in temples, make masks used for ritual dances, paintings on ceramics and woodblock prints used during festivals. The craft is handed down from father to son according to the division of labourlaid down from ancient times. Women generally play a secondary role in the artistic ventures. Ethnically, Chitrakars like other Newar communities are of diverse origin including various Indo-Aryan and Tibeto-Burman tribes. So, one may infer that Chitrakars are heterogeneous groups rather that a kin or ethnically homogeneous group. Although the caste system is eroding in Kathmandu, there are still some Pun/Chitrakar families following their traditional role as artists. The Puns/Chitrakars practice both Buddhism and Hinduism with an emphasis on Tantrism. In the French scholar Gerard Toffin's work on the painter Chitrakars, he focuses on their two main guthis, kinship and marriage patterns and, of course, their art, which sometimes functions as medicine. Toffin describes how they treat Jwanakai, which is thought to be caused by snakes, by painting two lions on the sides of the affected area. The word "Pun" seems to have been derived from Pali/Sanskrit word "puantra"/"patta" or "scrolls/fabric". The religious painting called "Paubhas" is also a derivative of the "Puantra/Patta". These paintings are normally done over fabric/cotton gessoed with animal glue and clay.
Notable Chitrakars
Jayateja Puna : He is mentioned in the dedicatory inscription in the 1420AD Vishnu Mandala as having rendered that painting.
Adyayaraja Puna and Udrayarama Puna : Painted famous painting of Gagansimh, a high-ranking military officer from Dolakha, with his two wives.
Indraraja Chitrakara and Jogideva Chitrakara : Mentioned in 17th century model-book.
Dirgha Man Chitrakar: Court photographer, one of the first Nepalese photographers, he used large format cameras and wet plates. Accompanied Prime Minister Chandra Shamsher to England in 1908.
Ganesh Man Chitrakar: Photographer, the first aerial photographs of Nepal were taken by him.
Kazi Krishna Lal Chitrakar: Worked for King Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah and attained the position of Kazi, which was one of the highest civil rankings at that time.
Tej Bahadur Chitrakar : Famous painter, Head of Juddha Art School, Initiated 'Chitrakala Udhyog Sangh'. Prime Minister Chandra Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana sponsored his training at Government Art School in Kolkata heralding a change in Nepalese art scene from traditional religious art to modern Western-style paintings.
Amar Chitrakar: Artist, life member of the Royal Nepal Academy, his paintings are in museums and private collections.
