thumbnail|right|283x283px|Mithila painting featuring God [[Shiva-Parvati and the Mahavidyas]]

Madhubani art (also known as Mithila art) is a style of painting practiced in the Mithila region

of India and Nepal. It is named after the Madhubani district of Bihar, India, which is where it originated and is the most active centre of production. Jitwarpur, Ranti and Rasidpur are the three most notable cities associated with the tradition and evolution of Madhubani art. Artists create these paintings using a variety of mediums, including their own fingers, or twigs, brushes, nib-pens, and matchsticks. The paint is created using natural dyes and pigments such as ochre and lampblack are used for reddish brown and black respectively. The paintings are characterized by their eye-catching geometrical patterns. There is ritual content for particular occasions, such as birth or marriage, It is still practiced and kept alive in institutions spread across the Mithila region. Kalakriti in Darbhanga, Vaidehi in Benipatti in Madhubani district and Gram Vikas Parishad in Ranti are some of the major centres of Madhubani painting which have kept this ancient art form alive.

Origin and tradition

Madhubani paintings were first created at Mithila, the birthplace of the Hindu goddess Sita. When Sita and her husband Prince Rama were to be married, King Janak, father of Sita, asked for paintings to capture moments of the marriage. Madhubani painting (or Mithila painting) was traditionally created by the women of various communities in the Mithila region of the Indian subcontinents. It originated from the Madhubani district of the Mithila region of Bihar. Madhubani is also a major export center of these paintings. This painting as a form of wall art was practiced widely throughout the region; the more recent development of painting on paper and canvas mainly originated among the villages around Madhubani, and it is these latter developments that led to the term "Madhubani art" being used alongside "Mithila Painting."

The paintings were traditionally done on freshly plastered mud walls and floors of huts, but now they are also done on cloth, handmade paper and canvas. Madhubani art has been interpreted by scholars as a form of domestic ritual expression, closely tied to women's roles in preserving cultural memory and religious practices within the Mithila region. Madhubani paintings are made from the paste of powdered rice. Madhubani painting has remained confined to a compact geographical area and the skills have been passed on through centuries, the content and the style have largely remained the same. Thus, Madhubani painting has received GI (Geographical Indication) status. Madhubani paintings use two-dimensional imagery, and traditionally colors derived from nature. Traditional pigments used were: vermilion powder mixed with grounded mustard seeds for red, cow dung mixed with lampblack for greenish black, rice paste for white, Pevdi for lemon yellow, turmeric for yellow ochre,

Styles

alt=Mithila Painting mural at Patna Junction|thumb|Mithila Painting mural at Patna Junction

Mithila art has five distinctive styles:

  • Bharni
  • Katchni
  • Tantrik
  • Godna
  • Kohbar

thumb|Asha Jha Madhubani Painting Artist

In the 1960s, Bharni and Tantrik styles of Madhubani art were predominantly created by Brahmin women in India and Nepal, focusing on religious themes and depictions of gods and goddesses. Artists from other castes incorporated elements from their daily lives, local legends like the story of Raja Shailesh, and various symbols into their paintings. In contemporary times, Madhubani art has evolved into a global art form, transcending caste distinctions. Artists now freely work across all five styles, and Mithila art has gained international recognition. Khobar style, also known as puren,

This art form has ties to the Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA) of Madhubani. Madhubani artists have been featured in multiple museum collections and exhibitions, including a UNESCO Christmas card collection, Jagdamba Devi's foster son Satya Narayan Lal Karn and his wife Moti Karn are also well-regarded Mithila artists, and they won the National Award jointly in 2003. Sita Devi received the Padma Shri in 1981. Sita Devi was also awarded by Bihar Ratna in 1984 and Shilp Guru in 2006.

In 1984 Ganga Devi was awarded by Padma Shri. Mahasundari Devi received the Padma Shri in 2011. Baua Devi, Yamuna Devi, Shanti Devi, Chano Devi, Bindeshwari Devi, Chandrakala Devi, Shashi kala Devi, Leela Devi, Godavari Dutta, Asha Jha Tira Devi and Bharti Dayal were also given the National award. Shree. Chandra Bhushan Lal Das (Rasidpur, Madhubani) received the National Award in 2003. Ambika Devi (Rasidpur, Madhubani) received the National Award in 2009. Smt. Manisha Jha (Raghopur Balat, Madhubani), Smt. Asha Jha (Kathalwadi Belabhor, Dharbhanga) and Shree. Devendra Kumar Jha (Jitwarpur, Madhubani) received the National award jointly in 2013. In 2020, Madhubani artist Dulari Devi won the Padma Shri for contributions to art.

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File:Stamp of India - 2000 - Colnect 307681 - Madhubani Mithila Paintings - se tenant pair.jpeg|Madhubani Painting on Stamp of India, 2000

File:Stamp of India - 2000 - Colnect 161155 - “Krishna with Gopies” Anmana Devi.jpeg|Krishna with Gopis on Stamp of India, 2000

File:Stamp of India - 2000 - Colnect 161157 - “Bull and Sugriva” Sanjula.jpeg|Bull and Sugriva on Stamp of India, 2000

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References

See also

  • Fresco

Further reading

  • (see index: p.&nbsp;148–152)
  • Old Traditional art by rural women, from Madhubani art gallery.
  • In conversation with Indian Express, the Madhubani Artist Vidushini shares her views on preserving traditional art forms including Mithila Paintings.
  • India and Nepal's Mithila Art Is Having a Feminist Renaissance