Madhubani is originated in the MITHILA region of BIHAR. TIRABHUKTI and TIRHUT is another name of Mithila. It gained popularity in 4th and 5th century AD. In 18th century Mithila was ruled in part by RAJ DARBHANGA, later comprised the divisions of Tirhut, Darbhanga, Kosi, Purnia, Munger, Bhagalpur.
Mithila is the birth place of goddess SITA and famous medieval poet VIDYAPATI.
There is a story behind this, It is said that King Jhanka father of goddess Sita asked his people to paint the region with madhubani painting as he was very happy and the people were also happy. It was time of joy, the daughters of the region were getting married. Sita was getting married to Prince Rama and her sisters were getting married with the brothers of Rama.
Mithila is the place of Indian Culture. The tradition of painting the floors and the walls are continuing from generation to generation.
People of mithila has a ritual of offering samskaaras(or sanskar) by doing ARIPAN. Aripan is a geometrical diagrams done on the floors by mud, cow dunk,or fingers dipped in rice paste. Aripan is done till date in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, it is done at the day of occasion or puja as it is considered auspicious and above the aripan all the rituals are done. There is not a single house in Mithila in which ceremonies are held without aripan.
Madhubani painting is INCOMPLETE without BORDERS. KOHBAR GHAR is very important room in Mithila region, rituals of marriage is done in kohbar ghar and marriages consummate in kohbar ghar. KOHBAR PAINTING is done on the three walls of kohbar ghar. This painting has a belief of blessing the bride and the groom with strong bond, happiness, new beginning and good fortune.
Kobhar painting has some identical symbols which has very important meanings. They are :
- PURAIN or LOTUS LEAVES – it signifies rapid growth and fertility of women, as hindu goddess of good fortune, prosperity and fertility is known as KAMALA.
- BANS or BAMBOO PLANT – it represents the male regenerative energy
- LATPATIA SUGA – it is the two parrots flying in circle, chasing each other. It represents union of the bride and the groom.
- BIDH BIDHATA – two birds symmetrically facing each other touching there beak, it represents wellbeing and future destiny.
- PATIA or MATT – it represents fast multiplying bond
- NAG-NAGIN – male and female cobras representing union of bride and groom.
- FISH – represents evolution and new beginning .
This are present in the painting and blesses the bride and groom, so that they live happily.
In 1934 Bihar and Nepal were hit by massive earthquake which lead to devastation, William G. Archer the British colonial officer of Madhubani district discovered paintings on the broken pieces of wall and noted similarities between them and some of European artists. Later in 1949 he wrote about the painting in MARG journal and started spreading this art.
Madhubani or Mithila painting was always done on walls or floors, but the year 1967-1968 can be treated as a landmark in Indian history of Madhubani painting. The land was in grip of terrible famine. The condition was at their worst, the entire region landscape was harsh, cracked and desolated with remorseless heat scorching the earth. There had been no crops for the last two years, people were starving for food, seeing this Ms. Pupul Jyakar, the then director of All Indo-Nepal Handicraft Board sent Mr. Bhaskar Kulkarni the Mumbai based artist to mithila, to encourage the women to make paintings on paper and earn a living so the women started painting on paper and selling it to earn a living. It was the time when Madhubani gained popularity across the globe as some foreign scholars like Yves Vequad, and anthropologist Erika Moser, Raymond Le Owens promoted it internationally.
This beautiful art got recognition in 1975 when Jagdamba Devi of jitwarpur village got awarded with Padma Shri by President of India. The efforts made by Tokyo Hasegawa, who set up the MITHILA MUSEUM in Tokamachi which has more than 800 madhubani paintings Japan showed interest in Madhubani painting. Yves Vequad, a French novelist and journalist, was the first foreigners to visit Mithila in the early 1970s. His research produced a book and a film, “THE WOMEN PAINTERS OF MITHIL”
Mithila region had three types of communities-
- The BRAHMINS
- The KAYASTH
- The HARIJAN or The DALITS
The main entities for the success of Madhubani painting were : SITA DEVI and BAUA DEVI of Brahmin community, GANGA DEVI and MAHASUNDARI DEVI of Kayasth community.
There are three types of Paintings, they are:
- BHARNI Painting
- KATCHNI Painting
- GODNA Painting
BHARNI PAINTING –
Bharni means filling, this painting is basically filled with lavish and rich colours done by the Brahmin community women also called Brahmin style of painting. This painting represents the god, goddess, all about Hindu religion and Indian Mythology. Late Sita devi was invited to paint the walls of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s office with Madhubani painting in New Delhi. Sita devi travelled Europe and America to present her work.
KATCHNI PAINTING –
This painting was started by kayasth community women as only few Brahmin women took the opportunity to paint, so kayasth women came with new style of painting that was line work or filling the paintings with different types of rendering instead of colours. This started attracted people. This painting was painted with monochrome colour or two colours. Started by Ganga devi and Mahasundari devi showed daily life.
GODNA PAINTING –
Also known as Tattoo painting was done by lower caste women, seeing the success of the Brahmin and the kayasth women. The dalits were landless and did not had proper meals to eat. The women started to paint to earn living, they did not had much knowledge about hindu mythology so they took the form of tattoos which were done on the body of tribal people. Jamuna devi belonged to the chamar community started this godana painting.
PROCESS OF PAINTING
Earlier people used twigs with cotton, fingers, matchsticks, now brushes, ink pens are used.Organic colours are used till date, fabric colours and acrylic colours are also used.
Colours such as green was extracted from heena leaves, yellow from turmeric, red from rose petals, blue from indigo, white from rice paste, orange from palasha flower, brown from katha/sandalwood/coffee, black from charcoal and so on.
Madhubani painting saved more than 100 trees in 2012, they were cut in the name of expanding roads and development. Shashthi Nath Jha who runs the Gram Vikas Parishad, an NGO asked women to paint the trees with madhubani to protect the trees. Later not a single tree were cut as people started adoring them as forms of religious symbol.
MADHUBANI FROM PAPER TO CLOTHES –
Madhubani is an art which is not only done on paper but also on clothes, many designers are using this beautiful art into their designs.
- ANUBHA SHARMA – the young designer who wanted to take part in “Asian Designers Week Competition 2017” but couldnot go throught because she did not had label of her own but after seeing her portfolio she was asked to take part in “Next Gen Fresh Talent 2017” and she won the competition, her design were inspired by Madhubani, she was just a college pass out.
- NEHA AGARWAL – In Lakme Fashion Week 2017 Neha agarwal showcased her design inspired by Madhubani “MITHILA IN SOHO”. Her design were contemporary evening wear showed madhubani from ancient to modern era which had raw and bold look, hand embroidery were done and colours such as muted earth tones, indigo, ochre and terracotta were used. Actress CHITRANGADA SINGH was the showstopper.
- SUCHI AND DAYA BANSAL – The pass out students of Pearl Academy, NOIDA participated in MISS DELHI COMPETITION and won the competition, the showed women empowerment inspired by Madhubani into there designs “SALAM-E-SAKTI, under the guidance of the fabulous Madhubani artist MANISHA JHA.
Manisha jha is from mithila, now stays in Delhi. She has taken madhubani art to next level showing different art works, she is known world wide because of her beautiful paintings. She is a National award winner.
- PRREETI JAIN NAINUTIA – the beautiful designer showcased her design in LOTUS INDIAN FASHON WEEK 2018 taking Madhubani as her inspiration “TALES OF RIVAAYAT” showed Madhubani hand print on blouses with Linen sarees. GAUAHAR KHAN was her showstopper.
Madhubani art is getting popular and can be seen in our daily life products too. We can see them over cans, handbags, book covers, mobile cases, crockeries and many more
Discussion about this post