Art of Mithila: A Living Tradition

Madhubani is a form of folk painting done by hands, twigs, matchsticks, etc. It is the well-known tradition of the Mithilanchal areas of Bihar and Nepal. Places in Bihar such as Darbhanga, Puniya, Muzaffarpur, Madhubani, and in the Southern part of Nepal, such as Jankapur, mainly include this art form that evolved from there only. 

Story Behind Madhubani Paintings:

 Mithila art or Madhubani Painting was established in the age of Ramayana. During the marriage of Lord Ram and Sita, King Janak (father of Sita) asked Mithila's women to paint all the walls of houses and courtyards in such a way that display the culture of Mithila so that people arriving from Ayodhya can see the mesmerizing culture of Mithila.

Development of Mithila Art:

Earlier, it was a form of rangoli and drawn on the walls of the kutcha house. Then with time, it was imprinted on papers and dresses, and thus, Madhubani art got international recognition. 

This 1000-year-old traditional art was limited to folk art till 1950 until a British officer showed interest in this art. In 1934, Mithilanchal faced a massive earthquake that led to a great disaster. William Archer inspected the tragedy, and when he saw the broken pieces of the wall, he noticed the Madhubani paintings on it and took a picture. This was said to be the earliest image of Mithila painting. 

In 1949, Archer wrote an Article called "Morg" where he compared Madhubani paintings with the paintings of Miro and Picasso. From there onwards, Madhubani gained global recognition. 

In every Indian art and culture fest, you cannot miss the Madhubani art as it is well entrenched with Indian heritage. Every year in Faridabad's Surajkund Mela, you can enjoy taking a glimpse of Madhubani paintings. 

Depiction in Mithila Painting:

The paintings include tales of birth & marriages of ancient characters, nature associated, and mythological related illustrations. Madhubani art usually portrays Lord Krishna and Ramayana and some of the important epic characters in its paintings.

Creation of Madhubani Painting:

Madhubani artists imprint the paintings on papers or walls from matchsticks, twigs, or bamboo pens. The papers used are also handmade. The paper includes the mixture of cow dung and babool gum spread on cotton cloth and then dried in the sunlight.  

The colors used are usually bright such as dark red, green, or black. Flowers and leaves of different colors mixed with babool gum and milk are used for coloring in the paintings. 

Styles:

Madhubani paintings are done in Bharni, Kachni, Tantrik, Godhna and Kohbar styles. Madhuban's Brahmin and Kayastha women started painting the Bharni, Kachni, and Tantrik style of Mithila Painting. Then in 1960, in Dusadh, a Dalit community, women were banned from depicting religious deities, but with time social acceptance widened, and they used different styles in their paintings, including drawing gods and epic figures. 

Global Acceptance of Mithila Art: 

With time, Madhubani art has spread its culture of Mithilanchal from Madhuban to International recognition. Today, this art witnessed its great acceptance in the fashion world. Handcraft dupattas, sarees, and long skirts are beautifully designed in Madhubani art. It has gained global popularity with its method and finely drawn geometrical figures.