The pata painting on the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu is quite impressive. Such paintings popular in Orissa are marked by brilliant colours and sharp lines. The origin of the Patachitra paintings can be traced back to the 8th century AD and it is considered as one of the earliest forms of indigenous paintings. In this painting, ten different incarnations of the Lord Vishnu has been painted using sharp lines and variegated colours. The Vishnu normally resides in Baikuntha. Whenever there is turmoil on Earth, He descends into this material world to give His personal protection and association to His devotees, to punish the irreligious and to re-establish religion in the world. The Lord has innumerable incarnations and out of them, His most famous ten avataras are Matsya- the fish, Kurma-the tortoise, Varaha-the boar, Narasimha-the man-lion, Vamana-the dwarf brahman, Parasurama-the axe wielder, Rama-the bow wielder, Balarama-the plough wielder, Krishna- the complete Avatara and Kalki, who is yet to come. Indeed a vivid portrayal of the ten forms of Vishnu.