Uncovering and rediscovering Madhubani Paintings

It is often baffling to discover something so beautiful and unique in the most unexpected places. One  such discoveries was that of Madhubani Paintings. It was during the year 1934 that Bihar had suffered one of the worst earthquakes in history. A magnitude of 8.1 on the Richter scale swept clean,  vast areas of many towns. It was  under this Natural devastation  that a British colonial officer William G. Archer caught the first glimpses of the Madhubani Paintings. Seeing a strong  similarity to works of modern western artists like Picasso, Miro and Klee and impressed by the beauty and geometrical patterns, it was first promoted through various art journals. As such the Madhubani Art form was first exposed to the whole world.

This art form’s heritage goes back at least 2500 years during the time of the Ramayana. It is believed that King Janak had commissioned artists to come up with paintings during the time of marriage of Sita and Ram. Through generations this folk painting of Northern India has mostly been practiced by women and their daughters in villages of Mithila , in modern day Bihar  an area near the border of India and Nepal. The paintings focus on nature and mythology and depict different events like birth, marriage etc. through the various cycles of life. The central theme revolves around love, valour, devotion and fertility. It is common to find various symbols of prosperity in these paintings such as fish, elephant, bamboo tree, moon, sun, parrot, peacock ,  lotus etc. The central figures in the paintings are the divine beings surrounded by colourful motifs and flora. The human beings are usually abstract and linear in form. It is also common to find Hindu deities depicted such as Durga, Krishna, Saraswati, Ram and Shiva.

The artists of Madhubani Paintings still use the traditional way of mixing colour derived naturally from nature. For example yellow is prepared from turmeric or lime is mixed with the white excretion of banyan tree to give it a yellow colour. Orange comes from palasa flower, green from bilva leaf and red from kusum. Twigs with cotton wrapped around their tips are used as brushes. Mithila is known not only for its paintings but also for its rich culture and various scholar, poets and theologians. Before painting on paper began the women of the village usually confined themselves to their homes and practised wall paintings during rituals.

Nowadays these same women are being given local, national and even international recognition. They have become an important part of the family income. The title has been changed from “folk artists” to “contemporary artists”. They are a few men however who too practice this so called “women’s tradition” with the same enthusiasm.

The Madhubani paintings can be categorized into Traditional, Monochrome, Tattoo, Contemporary and Animals & Birds. The paintings can be distinguished by the use of vibrant colours, geometric and floral patterns, abstract figures of deities. Versatility is another aspect of this art form due to which it has varied applications. Be it artefacts, Mask figures, saris and textiles, wall paintings, mud wall paintings, Tea coasters or coffee tables. It is surprising to find so much hidden talent in India.

Despite the recognition received,  many styles of Madhubani Painitngs have become extinct due to lack of encouragement and takers for the art. 1970 was a celebrated year as the government gave official recognition to this art.

At Banna we not only promote this art form but have also encouraged and supported several traditional Madhubani artists by extending the applications of their Madhubani art work.

We have our own line of custom made Madhubani Sarees and textiles, in specialised designs. Each of these pieces is not only reflective of this age old art form but is also an active and singular means of livelihood for the artists.
- contributed by Antorik Roy for Banna Creations !