Traditional paintings light up villages of eastern Indian state

PATNA, India, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) — Characterized by vibrant use of color, underlying symbolism and traditional geometric patterns supporting the main theme, the Indian folk art form of Madhubani painting is fast creating a place for itself in the international house of fame.

The origins of Madhubani paintings or Mithila paintings are shrouded in antiquity. Tradition states that this style of painting originated at the time of the epic Ramayana, when King Janak commissioned artists to do paintings at the time of marriage of his daughter, Sita, to Lord Ram.

In fact, the history of ethnic paintings in India can be traced back to Bhimbatka Caves of Madhya Pradesh, where some of the earliest paintings of India are found. But when it comes to ethnic “tribal” paintings of India, the name which tops the list is Madhubani paintings.

“Madhubani paintings are an indigenous art form of a quaint village of Bihar. Here the women of the village maintain a matriarchal dominance over the craft,” explained Radhika Ranjan, an art impressario.

The womenfolk paint figures from nature and myth on household and village walls to mark the seasonal festivals and for special events of the life cycle. When marriages are being arranged, they prepare intricately designed wedding proposals, and the technique of painting is safely and zealously guarded by the women of this village, for it is to be passed on by a mother to her daughter.

Madhubani paintings, also known as Godhna, Maithili and Chitra figure paintings, originated out of the humble domestic rituals in Madhubani district of Bihar.

Chiefly prevailing in Madhubani district, it also diffused to the adjacent districts of Jetwarpur, Ranti, Rasidpur, Bacchi and Rajangarh.

“As per the belief of the people of Madhubani that gods visit each house in the morning to bless them with luck and prosperity, Madhubani paintings started as a welcome painting on the walls, doors and floors for the gods,” said Ranjan.

Women of this village have been practicing this art form for centuries but it came to the forefront only in the 1960s, when a drought hit the area and people had to think of an alternative non agricultural source of earning.

Selling these traditional paintings on handmade paper was the best alternative. And with that started the commercialization of the Maithili paintings — it shifted from walls and floors to paper, satin, sarees, dupattas, without deviating from its original themes, the themes of religion and mythology.

And today they are one of the most celebrated folk arts of the world. Most of the people of Madhubani now depend on these paintings for their daily necessities.

Essentially practiced by the women folk, Madhubani is an exclusively feminine school of folk painting. As a respite from their daily home-engineering they portrayed their visions, beliefs, customs and creativity with abstract figures, mostly in linear patterns.

This school, however, is not confined to the feminine genre now, as the number of male painters is increasing with each passing day.

“As is known, Madhubani painting has been done traditionally by the women of villages around the present town of Madhubani (the literal meaning of which is forests of honey) and other areas of Mithila. The painting was traditionally done on freshly plastered mud wall of huts, but now it is also done on cloth, handmade paper and canvas,” said Pankaj Sagar, a Patna-based painter.

The symbols that these Maithili painters use have their specific meanings as, for instance, fish symbolize fertility, procreation and good luck, peacocks are associated with romantic love and religion, serpents are the divine protectors.

Most Madhubani paintings mostly feature nature related themes. Mythological figures also find great prominence in these paintings. Hindu deities like Krishna, Rama, Siva, Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati are the most common subjects of Madhubani painters.

Apart from deities the women also paint celestial subjects like Sun and Moon. The holy Tulsi plant is also regularly featured in these paintings. These paintings also act as a visual record of court scenes, wedding scenes and social happenings. Intricate floral, animal and bird motifs, and symmetrical geometric designs fill up the gaps.

Since this intricate skill is handed down the generations, traditional designs and patterns are widely maintained.

Madhubani paintings also use two dimensional imagery, and the colors used are derived from plants. Ochre and lampblack are also used for reddish brown and black respectively.

Firstly, the cotton is wrapped around a bamboo stick to serve as a brush. Then the brush is dipped in colors and applied on to the fabric. No shading technique is used. The outline is done with double lines. The gaps between the two lines are filled with cross or straight lines.

A paste of cow dung and mud is applied on the walls and floors to give a perfect black background on which pictures are drawn with white rice paste. Bright vegetable colors are then applied on the figures making them more vibrant.

A great number of Madhubani painters still apply a thin layer of cow dung and mud paste on their canvases to give a more authentic look and also because it helps in proper absorption of color.

“Madhubani painting is an emblematic expression of day-to-day experiences and beliefs. As such, symbolism, simplicity and beauty hold them together in a single school of traditional art,” said Sagar.

But as Madhubani paintings remained confined to a compact geographical area and the skills have been passed on through centuries, the content and the style have largely remained the same.