Five things to know about Madhubani Art

by Nishtha Lall
February 07, 2023
5 min read

by Nishtha Lall
February 07, 2023
5 min read

What is Madhubani Art?

Madhubani art, or Mithila Paintings, is practised in some regions of Assam and India, particularly the Mithila region, which is also the root of the art form's name. The artists that work on their art create these paintings using multiple mediums, including twigs, brushes, fingers and even matchsticks, while the colours used are all natural dyes and pigments.

This art form is easily recognisable owing to its eye-catching and unique geometrical shapes and patterns. These paintings mostly depict scenarios, people and their relationship with nature, or deities they worship from ancient epics. Celestial objects like the sun and the moon, or even worshipped plants, such as tulsi, are primarily painted and depicted. Royal court scenes, or even instances from weddings, of the native people, are shown, and this art form is known to leave no gaps on the surface that they paint on; hence most of the empty spaces are filled up with birds, flowers, animals and some more geometric patterns and symbols.

This beautiful painting was traditionally initiated and created by the women of various communities from the Mithila region, specifically, the Madhubani district. The same area is a large exporter of these paintings and started the creation of this art through wall art, on fresh mud walls, and painting to the floors of huts, after which they progressed onto paper and canvases. Recently, artists have extended their skills to be shown on surfaces like cloth and handmade pieces. Madhubani has five different and distinctive styles: Bharni, Katchni, Tantrik, Godna and Kohbar.

5 Interesting facts about Madhubani:

One of the most exciting and famous art forms of Bihar has some fascinating and unique facts. Some of them are as mentioned below,

Madhubani Paintings have a deep connection with the Ramayana Period:

This art form is usually based on religious scenes and themes, and one of the most prominent themes is the depiction of Lord Krishna and the pieces of Ramayana. The history of the art talks about how the tradition of the paintings goes back to the Ramayana Era, particularly on the occasion of Sita’s marriage, when her father, Raja Janaka, organised and arranged many artists and artisans to decorate the entire kingdom. The whole ceremony was painted in the style of Madhubani art by those from the Ramayana period. Back then, the art was created on the floors and walls of houses, mainly by women, and is almost 2500 years old.

The discovery tale of the Madhubani Paintings:

No one in the Madhubani region knew much about decorative and traditional art before 1930. The area of Bihar suffered an earthquake in 1934. William G. Arthur, a British official and officer, found the Madhubani paintings and unique art on damaged walls during his inspections. He was very fond of Indian art and culture. After the earthquake, there were a number of these paintings found on these damaged walls. Unique art and images were engraved onto them, and they were mesmerising. Madhubani's painting soon became known far and wide, and more and more pieces of the work were discovered over time. It is now one of the most recognized.

Madhubani Painting has been used for Deforestation Prevention.

Many Madhubani artists use their talent and skills for painting as a method and way to prevent trees from being cut down, in short, to prevent deforestation. This shows us that the art form is for more than just decorative purposes or depicting tales from the cultural pasts. Depicting these deities on the trees and in the forests inhibits people from cutting them down to maintain their religious beliefs and rituals. In 2012, approximately one hundred trees were calculated to have been saved using the form of Madhubani art, where many artists drew goddesses, gods and other deities on the trees. Shasti Nath Jha is known to run an NGO named Vikas Parishad, whose main aim is to save trees and use Madhubani Paintings.

The artists of Madhubani paintings only sketch their art after painting it.

Another interesting fact about Madhubani art is that the artisans create these magical designs without using sketching techniques. This little detail makes a world of difference between this art form and other more popular art forms. Many believe such detailed and exquisite work would require drawing and sketching to make limited errors, but the artisans refrain from indulging in that process.

Madhubani art form uses a unique style of painting.

Natural colours and dyes, such as the pastes made from cow dung or mud, are used as paints for Madhubani art. The mud and cow dung give a better texture to the walls when the designs are painted onto them. Only natural colours, such as those extracted from pollen, lime, turmeric and plants, are used for painting. Some other examples of the colours are using flowers for a red and crimson hue or sandalwood. Instead of using the essential paint brushes for the designs, twigs, fingers and even matchsticks are used to make the art. Bright colours are used to make floral and geometric patterns and embellish the borders for the paintings.

Madhubani Art on iTokri:

iTokri, a large supporter of traditional artisans and art forms, houses a collection of Madhubani printed sarees painted and printed by artists in the originating region. Madhubani-printed scarves and dupattas in vibrant and traditional colours are also available on the website.

In the Madhubani styles, stoles are some of the most loved products on the site and are a lovely addition to one’s wardrobe.

FAQS

What is Madhubani Painting?

Madhubani art, or Mithila Paintings, is a painting practised in some regions of Assam and India, particularly the Mithila region, which is the root of the art form's name.

What are the tools used for Madhubani paintings?

The artists that work on their art create these paintings using multiple mediums, including twigs, brushes, fingers and even matchsticks, while the colours used are all natural dyes and pigments.