MADHUBANI ART FORM

Art plays a significant role in understanding and preserving a culture and is often a reflection of its society, traditions and experiences. A country as diverse as India is rich in cultural heritage and is home to various beautiful art forms. One of which is the Madhubani art form. It is also known as Mithila art and is a type of painting that is known for its vibrant colors, intricate designs and profound symbolic representations of nature, religion and society.

Madhubani is a town in Bihar and the name “Madhubani” is believed to be derived from “Madhuban” which translates to “forest of honey”. Madhubani paintings are also known as Mithila paintings because the art form originated from Mithila region of Bihar, the birthplace of Goddess Sita as mentioned in “Ramayana”. The origin of the art form is connected to a legend suggesting that King Janaka of Mithila had requested an artist to commission this new form of painting of his daughter Sita’s marriage to Prince Rama. The women of various communities in the Mithila region originally created Madhubani paintings on freshly plastered mud walls and floors of mud huts, passing down this craft for generations.

COLORS AND TECHNIQUE

The colors and tools used to create a Madhubani painting earlier were traditionally derived from nature. Colors were extracted from flowers, resources and pigments available in nature for example; Aparajita flower was used for the color blue, turmeric was used for yellow, Palash flower for orange, rice powder for white, flat bean leaves for green and many more. Brushes to paint were made out of bamboo sticks and twigs. The paper of the painting was treated with cow dung so that the vibrancy of the naturally derived colors could be easily maintained. Cow dung was also mixed with charcoal and water to create a black outline. This outline could not be modified after being made and was used to fill out the whole canvas as Madhubani artists did not like leaving any blank space on their canvas. Slowly the medium for the paintings evolved with artists using cloth, canvas and handmade paper.

SYMBOLS

Madhubani paintings integrated symbolic imagery from nature, things found in the natural surroundings region of Mithila and Madhubani. Their way of living, celebrations and religious practices are beautifully depicted in the paintings. There are also some recurring patterns and motifs in the paintings like the symbol of Fish representing auspiciousness for the people as fish is abundantly available in Bihar due to the number of ponds and water bodies there and it is a delicacy often enjoyed by the people living there.

Lotus flower is also a motif often used in Madhubani paintings as it symbolizes purity and prosperity. Lotus flowers are offered in a lot of religious celebrations and rituals like the festival Chauthchandra in Bihar, where the moon is worshipped.

Another powerful motif used is that of the sun and the moon. They are considered as revered deities in Bihar and are an essential part of the culture there. The sun and the moon are worshipped on many special religious occasions there like Chhath Puja, Satyanarayan Puja and many more. Birds like Peacock and Parrots and Flora and Fauna are other fundamental symbols found in Madhubani paintings.

Devotional motifs are also a favorite of Mithila artists. They use stories from “Ramayana”, “Krishnaleela” as themes for their paintings. Hindu Gods and Goddesses are beautifully depicted in the divine paintings.

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Madhubani paintings have five distinct styles:

BHARNI: “Bharni” translates to “fill” in Hindi. These paintings have vibrant colors that are filled in canvas and include themes of Hindu deities and their history in the paintings.

TANTRIK: Tantrik style of painting illustrates religious scriptures. These paintings feature Hindu mythical and legendary figures, which are of great importance to the community. They keep these paintings in their homes as they consider them auspicious and also use them for auspicious ceremonies and festivals.

GODNA: Godna is an ancient tattooing style in which animals, birds, flora and fauna were tattooed on the body as a sign of prosperity and good luck. Two women –Channo Devi and Zahida, contributed to the development Godna style of painting. Zahida belonging to the tribal community “Natin” who had tattoos all over their body taught the art of Godna to Channo Devi who in turn taught the art to the women of her community. Bamboo sticks, twigs were used for Godna paintings but now the artists have started using brushes made natural materials.

KOHBAR: Kohbar styles of paintings are probably the most popular and distinct style of Madhubani art form. Kohbar painting originally was painted on the walls of the “Kohbar Ghar” which means the nuptial room where the bride and groom consummate their marriage. “Kohbar Ghar “ is the room where the newly married couple spends their first four nights and has vibrantly painted walls with Kohbar paintings. The paintings have themes and depictions of Lord Shiv and Maa Parvati, Lord Krishna and Radha rani, the sun, moon, nine celestial bodies (Navagraha), ponds, fishes, elephants and horses. These themes symbolize fertility and blessings for the new couple.

KATCHNI

Katchni style of painting is one of the most exclusive forms of Madhubani art. It is characterized by its intricate fine line work and detailed patterns. Katchni paintings focus on elaborate lines, filling in the spaces with closely drawn parallel lines or small dots to emphasize depth and structure of the painting. This style of painting relies on a single color but to create a contrast another color might be used. The most popular combinations of colors are black and white or red with black, yellow and green. The themes include Hindu deities and nature. 

Madhubani painting depict folklores, our stories, myths and historical events and are passed down from generation to generation preserving our culture. Women in the Mithila region played an essential role of passing down their talents and knowledge to their children. There are many skilled artists who have beautifully displayed the tradition and grandeur of Madhubani paintings like Sita Devi from Jitwarpur, Bihar. She was one of the first artists to receive national recognition for this art form. She was honored with a Padma Shri award in 1981 for her artistic work. She was also one of the first artists to transition the paintings from walls to paper. Ganga Devi, known for her unique style of mixing folk and tribal art, Mahasundari Devi was famous for her use of natural dyes and capturing the everyday activities of the people around her village and many more artists like Bharti Dayal, Jagdamba Devi contributed to the growth and recognition of Madhubani art form.

Madhubani paintings have gained recognition worldwide. Artists have evolved with time and while keeping the originality of the form alive, they are also experimenting with modern social themes and structure as well. These paintings are deeply embedded in our culture and are a spiritual expression preserved through time and generations.