Madhubani art

Madhubani painting by Bharti Dayal

Ardhnarishwar in Madhubani style by Vidushini

Madhubani painting or Mithila painting is a style of Indian painting, practiced in the Mithila region of Bihar state, India and the adjoining parts of Terai in Nepal. In the present time the main artists include Smt Bharti Dayal ' Ganga devi ' Smt Bua Devi ,late Smt Jagdamba Devi,late Smt Sita Devi,and Smt Mahasundari Devi and others. Madhubani painting got official recognition in 1970 when the President of India gave an award to Mrs Jagdamba Devi of Village Jitbarpur near Madhubani. Beside her, other painters, Mrs Sita Devi ' Mrs Mahasundari Devi Mrs 'godavari dutt, Mrs Bharti dayal and bua devi were also given NATIONAL AWARDS in this Art field by PRESIDENT OF INDIA^[1]. Smt Bharti dayal was awarded again by All India Art and Craft soceity for melleniumm award and, Smt Mahasundari Devi was again awarded, this time Padma Shri by the government of India in 2011.^[2] What is Unique in Bharti 's work is the fact that She centers her Art to HERITAGE style and yet manages to create an entirely Modern and Contemporary work from it .A surge of fantasy in her work makes them appear fresh and Graceful .Her work is Experimental and Authentic .We need a whole army of Bharti to bring back The Beauty and GLory of Mithila painting. A collection of some samples of Mithila's domestic arts may be seen in the Chandradhari Museum, Darbhanga. W.G. Archer has also a collection of Mithila paintings and so has Upendra Maharathi, the artist, under whose supervision a collection of Bihar's folk art and craft has been built up at the Bihar Government Institute of Industrial Design, Digha, Patna.^[3]Late smt yamuna devi,chano devi,yogmayadevi,anmanadevi and bachhadai devi has also contributed to this Art . Asha Verma, born in Darbhanga, is dedicated to promote Madhubani art through her research work and her Madhubani paiting workshop popularily known as Ashas' creations at Sri Krishna Nagar, Patna.

Origins

The origins of Madhubani painting or Mithala Painting are shrouded in antiquity and mythology.

Madhubani painting has been done traditionally by the women of villages around the present town of Madhubani (the literal meaning of which is forests of honey) and other areas of Mithila. The painting was traditionally done on freshly plastered mud wall of huts, but now it is also done on cloth, hand-made paper and canvas. Madhubani paintings are made from the paste of powdered Rice.бAs 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. Madhubani paintings also use two dimensional imagery, and the colors used are derived from plants. Ochre and lampblack are also used for reddish brown and black respectively.

Madhubani paintings mostly depict nature and Hindu religious motifs, and the themes generally revolve around Hindu deities like Krishna, Ram, Shiva, Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati. Natural objects like the sun, the moon, and religious plants like tulsi are also widely painted, along with scenes from the royal court and social events like weddings. Generally no space is left empty; the gaps are filled by paintings of flowers, animals, birds, and even geometric designs. Objects depicted in the walls of kohabar ghar (where newly wed couple see each other in the first night) are symbols of sexual pleasure and procreation.

Traditionally, painting was one of the skills that was passed down from generation to generation in the families of the Mithila Region, mainly by women.^[4] The painting was usually done on walls during festivals, religious events, and other milestones of the life-cycle such as birth, Upanayanam (sacred thread ceremony), and marriage.

It is one of the best Art and unique craft work. The paintings are simplistic manifestation of the philosophical heights achieved by India in yesteryear.

Notes

1. ^ http://books.google.com/books?ei=9EtXTa_7FcOBlAetnrSuBw&ct=result&id=huLqAAAAMAAJ&dq=Madhubani+painting&q=1970#search_anchor
2. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padma_Shri_Awards_(2010%E2%80%932019)#
3. ^ http://books.google.com/books?ei=L0pXTZGlBoKclget4oCSBw&ct=result&id=huLqAAAAMAAJ&dq=Upendra+thakur+madhubani&q=Chandradhari#search_anchor
4. ^ http://india.gov.in/knowindia/madhubani.php Know India: Madhubani Painting

External links

• Official Website of Bharti Dayal
• Madhubani Paintings by MITHILAsmita Foundation
• Excellent article on Madhubani art
• Madhubani Paintings by Vidushini
• Madhubani Paintings London
• Mithila Paintings
• Hand Painted Sarees inspired with Madhubani Culture