Madhubani Paintings - A Hallmark of Mithila Women's Exquistness

Women folks of Mithila in Bihar have been painting their walls with intricate 'tantric' and mythological motifs for centuries. Gradually these paintings came into notice and termed Madhubani Paintings. These paintings manifest the Culture of India, the rich tradition of Art and Craft of India besides representing Art and Craft of Bihar. These paintings were initially done on the mud walls but with changing times they are now done on cloth, hand made paper and canvas.

The origin of Madhubani paintings is not much known, thereby it is little obscure to trace back its origination. The painting derives its name from hundreds of beehives that once dotted the neighboring villages of Jitwapur. The style and nuances of Madhubani paintings remain the same even after centuries. The legacy of this art is passed on from one generation to other. You will be amused to see that the motifs of Madhubani paintings can be found on coins, seals and urns that belonged to the Indus Valley Civilization.

The central themes of most Madhubanu paintings are Love and Fertility. The theme of Fertility dominates the Kohbar tradition. Fertility is depicted through animals, flowers, birds and celestial bodies like parrot, elephants, fish, turtles, lotus, sun, moon bamboo tree. Swaymwar of Lord Ram and Goddess Sita or Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha in amorous pose are prominent themes of Madhubani Paintings. These deities are in the center of the mural or canvas accompanied by their consorts. The floral motifs make the background.

The dexterity of the craftswomen can be seen by the fact that they directly paint with a brush without any preliminary sketch. Primarily the natural colors were obtained from extracts of plants like Heena leaves, flowers, bougainvillea and neem. These were then admixed with resin from banana leaves and ordinary gum to make a painting medium. The vibrant Madhubani Paintings mostly deploy colors like orange, crimson red, pink, black, green, yellow and blue. These paintings were not done by everyone in the beginning. Only Brahmins and Kayasthas did it with Brahmins rendering them bright hues and Kayasthas opted for muted tones. The Harijan style is bit different whereby they coat the wall or canvas by cow dung.

Go to Bihar, walk through the lanes of villages and you will see the painted mud walls. This mesmerizing art will showcase the craftsmanship of the artists. No wonder if you buy many paintings from these artists as a souvenir.

Swati