The Mithila painting is one of the living creative activities of the women of this region. It is a famous folk painting on paper, cloth, readymade garments, movable objects etc., mainly by the village women of Mithila. Originally it is a folk art, practiced by the women of all castes and communities, including the Muslims, on walls and floors using the natural and vegetable colours. Later some people took interest in it and motivated the women to translate their art from walls and floors to the canvas and now the new form has given this a very distinct identity in the art world as well as in the market. This folk art has a history, a cultural background, women’s monopoly and distinct regional identification.
Far away from Indian big cities and the modern world lies a beautiful region once known as Mithila. It was one of the first kingdoms to be established in eastern India. The region is a vast plain stretching north towards Nepal, south towards the Ganges and west towards Bengal. The present districts of Champaran, Saharsa, Muzaffarpur, Vaishali, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Supaul, Samastipur etc., and parts of Munger, Begusarai, Bhagalpur and Purnea of Bihar cover Mithila.
It is completely flat and free from rock or stone. Its soil is the alluvial slit deposited by the river Ganges, a rich, smooth clay dotted with thousands of pools replenished by the monsoon.
Madhubani is the heartland where the paintings are more profuse than elsewhere. “The region’s rich vegetation so impressed ancient visitors that they called it Madhubani, ‘Forest of Honey’
In this mythical region, Rama, the handsome prince of Ayodhya and incarnation of the Vishnu, married princess Sita, born of a furrow her father King Janaka had tilled. Mithila is that sacred land where the founders of Buddhism and Jainism.
The women artists, according to the old age tradition, are the sole custodians who practice this folk painting passing down for generations from mother to her daughter. They have been retaining this great art form in the region since time immemorial.
The present form of Mithila paintings, also called Madhubani paintings, are the translation of the wall paintings, floor paintings and terracotta idols onto paper or canvas.
The kohabar is replete with paintings based on mythological, folk themes, and tantric symbolism. The paintings in this chamber are designed to bless the couple. The central theme of all paintings is love and fertility, though the approach may vary. It can commence with the story of Sita's marriage or Krishna - Radha episode with the ecstatic circle in which he leads the gopis. The people of Mithila, also known as Maithils, are Sakti worshippers with the influence of tantric rituals and so Siva-Sakti, Kali, Durga, Ravana and Hanuman also appear in their murals. Symbols of fertility and prosperity like fish, parrot, elephant, turtle, sun, moon, bamboo tree, lotus, etc., are more prominent. The divine beings are positioned centrally in the frame while their consorts or mounts or simply their symbols and floral motifs form the background.
For centuries ritual themes and murals had been painted in the interiors of homes in Mithila yet thet remained a closed world to outsides who were able to observe and record them only after a major earthquake in 1934. William Archer, the colonial subdivisional officer inspecting he damage to villages in Mithila was the first to photograph them. Archer and his wide Mildred immediately recognized the importance and beauty of these murals and promoted their broader appreciation through several publications.
Foreign patronage of Mithila painting entered a new stage when the American Anthropologist Raymond owens first arrived in Madhubani in 1977 and thereafter exerted significant influence on these art forms. Owen had passion for Mithila Paintings soon led to his many folds visits to these areas. He extended his support to the artists in many ways. He the founder of Ethnic Art Foundation comprising Masters, Craftsman Association.
Over the ensuring forty years a wide range of styles and qualities of Mithila art have evolded with styles differentiated by regions and caste. Ganga Devi, Bana Devi, Sita Devi, Kapoori Devi and Mahasundari Devi are among the best-known artists.
Madhubani Paintings are increasingly exhibited and recognized abroad from Japan to USA. From South Africa, France to Mexico and even Iceland. Many of the well known artists abroad are not so very popular within India thanks to the wide spread appearance and an accompanying exhibitions. |
