Madhubani Art :: From Bihar to the World

A symbol of Bihar’s cultural richness in the modern world, Madhubani or Mithila Paintings are a prominent folk art form, known for its vivid colors, regional themes, and cultural history.

1. Madhubani Art : From Bihar to the World
Article of the Month - Dec 1999
This article by The original version was written by Nitin Kumar on December 15, 1999. It was revised in 17th August 2024 by Prakriti
Anand, who is currently pursuing her PhD in Ancient Indian History from the University of Delhi. Prakriti has experience working with
organizations in the realms of heritage, art, and history and is committed to advancing contributions to the field of culture.
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A symbol of Bihar’s cultural richness in the modern world, Madhubani or Mithila Paintings are a prominent folk art form, known for its
vivid colors, regional themes, and cultural history. Traditionally, the motifs used in these paintings were made by women on the walls
and floors of their houses during festivals, community celebrations, and important religious ceremonies.
History of Madhubani Paintings
Hindu women who live in villages near the market town of Madhubani in northern India maintain old traditions and teach them to their
daughters. Painting is one of the traditional skills that is passed down from generation to generation in the families of some of the
women.
They paint figures from nature and myth on household and village walls to mark the seasonal festivals of the religious year, for special
events of the life-cycle, and when marriages are being arranged they prepare intricately designed wedding proposals.
But even though women in the villages around Madhubani have been practicing their folk art, for centuries, the world at large has
come to know about these women and to consider them to be "artists" only in the last thirty years.
Even now, most of their work remains anonymous. The women, some of them illiterate, are in any case reluctant to consider
themselves individual producers of "works of art" and only a few of them mark the paintings with their own name.
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2. Types of Madhubani Paintings
Though many art lovers and enthusiasts of culture know the paintings of the Mithila region only as “Madhubani”, it is an umbrella term,
which contains a variety of paintings, each traditionally rooted in rituals and occasions of the region.
There are mainly five types of Madhubani paintings- Bharni, Kachni, Godna, Tantrik and Kohbhar.
☀ Bharni - This type of Madhubani painting is identified by the Bharna (filling) of vivid colors and details. The stories of Bharni style are
Indian mythology and folklore and these paintings are traditionally done by Brahmin women. 
☀ Kachni - These paintings are simpler in make, with monochromatic colors (black and white), and are detailed, with neat lines
defining the subject. The popular elements of the Kachni style of Madhubani are flowers, trees, and other nature themes.
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3. ☀ Godna - Tattoo or Godna art is a popular element of many local cultures across India. In Madhubani art, Godna paintings use
geometric and simple patterns, symbolic designs, and few colors. 
☀ Tantrik - Rooted in Hindu Tantra tradition, Tantrik paintings are inspired by the Shakta or goddess worship culture. Images of
Durga, Kali, Lakshmi, Saraswati, and their Yantras are drawn on special occasions such as Navaratri as ritual art.
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4. ☀ Kohbhar - This style of Madhubani is made specifically during marriage rituals. Colorful and detailed, Kohbhar is painted to bless
the newlywed through the power of symbolism, and traditional auspicious motifs such as flowers, plants, fishes, and birds are popular
in this style.
Techniques and Materials of Madhubani Paintings
☀ The traditional technique of Madhubani painting is simple hand-painting of motifs and themes, which are then filled with natural
colors by the artists. Earlier done on the floor, the paintings were colored using twigs, fingers, and brushes made from bamboo or
reed.
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5. ☀ In the present time, Madhubani paintings are done on cloth, canvas, or handmade paper. New mediums have been included by the
artists, which has made Madhubani popular with a global audience.
☀ Colors - In Madhubani art, natural colors give the traditional painting its characteristic features. Natural sources such as turmeric for
yellow and indigo for blue were used, but in the modern times, synthetic colors are also used by artists for durability and brighter
colors. 
☀ Canvas - Cloth, cotton, or Khadi was used for a long time for creating beautiful Madhubani paintings. Modern Madhubani artists
use canvas for creating exhibition-ready pieces which are also loved by collectors and buyers of the art.
Themes of Madhubani Painting
In the modern art sphere, Madhubani painting is used to depict everything- from gods and goddesses to airplanes and multistorey
buildings that the artists see around them. Traditionally, there are certain themes, rooted in the culture of Bihar that were popularly
shown by the painters-
☀ Religious Themes : Images of Hindu gods and goddesses, Kula Deva and Devi, stories from epics and Puranas were popularly
painted in Madhubani art. These were ritual icons and were worshipped as protecting symbols. Even in the modern times, religious
themes are cherished in Madhubani paintings.
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6. ☀ Nature : Forests, birds, fishes, and animals are another important element in Madhubani paintings. As the artists lived in natural
surroundings, they were inspired by nature’s beauty, which also had a symbolic power. Blooming flowers for example are symbols of
youth and life. Revered in ancient cultures, nature is a timeless motif in Madhubani paintings, making these artworks a beautifying and
auspicious decor in any space. 
☀ Social and Cultural Life : Art is inspired by life. And Madhubani paintings are no different. The artists use everyday scenes-
markets, fishing on river banks, festivals, dancing, and household scenery to decorate their canvas. Carrying a simple beauty,
traditional Madhubani paintings based on the social and cultural life of the region, give us a chance to witness the life of the artists,
making them a popular category of art. 
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7. ☀ Symbolism : Traditional motifs such as fishes, flowers, sun, and moon are powerful elements, holding auspicious and empowering
energy. Some Madhubani paintings simply present a symbol, painted with rich colors as a positive object to decorate any space.
Madhubani Painting in Modern Times: Reaching the World 
Among the first modern outsiders to document the tradition of Madhubani painting were William and Mildred Archer. He was a British
civil servant assigned to the district during the colonial era. The Archers obtained some
drawings on paper that the women painters were using as aids to memory.
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8. Works that the Archers collected went to the India Records Office in London (now part of the British Library) where a small number of
specialists could study them as creative instances of India's folk art.
What led the women painters to share their work with the larger world was a major ecological and economic crisis that resulted from
a prolonged drought in 1966-68 that struck Madhubani and the surrounding region of Mithila.
In order to create a new source of non-agricultural income, the All-India Handicrafts Board encouraged the women artists to produce
their traditional paintings on handmade paper for commercial sale.
Since then, painting has become a primary source of income for scores of families. Production and initial marketing have been
regulated by regional craft guilds, the state government of Bihar, and the Government of India.
But the continuing market in this art throughout the world is a tribute to the resourcefulness of the women of Mithila who have
successfully transferred their techniques of bhitti chitra or wall-painting to the medium of paper, and have resisted the temptation to
adapt their traditional designs too freely in pursuit of unpredictable public tastes.
The paper itself is handmade and treated with cowdung and the colours used are extracted from vegetables. People of Mithila have
their own language and a sense of regional identity that goes back more than 2500 years.
Among the most celebrated figures believed to have been born in the region are Mahavira (a great spiritual hero of the Jain religion),
Siddhartha Gautama (better known to the world as the Buddha), and Sita (the legendary wife of Prince Rama and herself a central
figure in the world's epic the Ramayana).
The Region of Mithila Near the India-Nepal Border Commercialization of the folk art has been a mixed blessing. It has been regulated
by governmental bureaucracies, has generated a multi-levelled distribution system, and has put a premium on productivity per se -
independent of any meaningful connection to the traditional cycles of village life and the rhythms of the religious year.
But it also has allowed people around the world to discover a style of art with a long heritage linked to the lives of women, and that
retains evident signs of its rootedness in a vital folk tradition. And, more to the point, it has created a new source of gainful
employment in rural India for women and their families.
The exhibited paintings include examples of several themes in the representational but stylized and symbolic Madhubani tradition -
the great life-cycle rite of marriage; some of the major goddesses and gods of the Hindu pantheon; domesticated and wild animals.
How to Include the Magic of Madhubani in Your Home?
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9. Madhubani artists in modern times are fairly connected with the world of art lovers, thanks to a few organizations and endeavors by
government and private groups. The beauty of Madhubani has been showcased in exhibitions in India and global museums and art
festivals and makers of these artworks have traveled the globe along with their pieces.
If you are looking to include the art of Madhubani in your home, there are a few ways in which you can do this- 
☀ You can go for the classic Madhubani painting, depicting traditional scenes, using natural colors that is a timeless gem and elevates
any space with its exotic and rich themes. 
☀ For the modern, contemporary spaces, Madhubani artists now produce small, unique, and chic canvases painted with traditional
motifs. These artworks blend in any space while standing out, and have the charm of classic Madhubani art that the art lovers hold so
dear. 
☀ If not your walls, then your wardrobe can benefit from having a piece of Madhubani art. Sarees, dupattas, suits, and other
wearables are handpainted or printed with Madhubani motifs, offering you a chance to style yourself in the magic of Madhubani. 
☀ Another interesting way to add Madhubani art to your everyday life is through home decor items and accessories. Artists of this
folk art form have created Madhubani-painted pillow covers, slings, and handbags decorated with traditional motifs and handpainted
masks, which blend utility with the beauty of Madhubani.
If you are looking for a classic Madhubani painting, or are an experimental soul who wishes to wear your art instead of displaying it,
visit Exotic India Art. A vast, handpicked collection of Madhubani and other folk paintings as well as fashionable Indian wear with
Madhubani designs is gathered in one place, from where you can find your next purchase, and experience the charm of Indian folk
art.
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