Mithila Madhubani Art

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Mithila or Madhubani paintings. Journey of women of mithila who started doing wall paintings in the courtyard of their villages on occasion of rituals, festivals etc. Painting stories of Gods and Goddesses and stories of life around them.

Transcript of Mithila Madhubani Art

  • Mithila Paintings and Journey of women

    By Manisha jha

    Abstract

    Name of painting- Kohbar, by Manisha jha

    Visual images of India call to mind immense diversity, in form, colour, expression

    and emotions evoked in their multiplicity. They fill up the socio-cultural fabric of the

    sub-continent called India. It is this variety which that distinguishes Indias cultural

    identity. Its physical, religious and ethnic multiplicity is as immense as its linguistic

    diversity. Underneath this diversity lies the continuity of Indian civilization and social

    structure from the very earliest times until the present day.

  • Continuity in a tradition formed the basis of folk art as it did of folklore. Craftsmanship

    was not a part of an artists training rather an inheritance that was imbibed much as

    stories from childhood. Retaining familiar motifs and pragmatic forms, little or

    practically no change in execution techniques, the artisan took to the narration of

    personal histories, much as each story that got a twist by the narrator, the art form

    evolved while retaining its tradition basis. One may thus safely presume that

    traditional rural arts in India were stimulated by functional purpose and ritualistic

    connotations as indeed by individual creativity and recreational urge. Mithila1 was a

    large and powerful ancient kingdom in what are now north-eastern India and

    southern tarai region of Nepal. One of the most powerful capitals of eastern India the

    region is a vast plain reaching out in north towards the tarai regions bordering Nepal,

    to the south caressing the shores of Ganges and stretching out in west towards

    Bengal

    The women folk of this region have been practicing this folk art for centuries primarily

    to consecrate space around their habitation, during rituals. They used to compose

    elaborate wall paintings (Fig.-2) or Bhitti-chitra, floor paintings or Aripan2 on their

    mud homes. These paintings were passed

    from one generation to other without any

    formal training but naturally as daily chore

    activity. This art is the biggest example of

    community living where a whole cluster of

    women in the aangna/courtyard or village

    took part in writing the Kohbar Ghar3 Fig.-1

    (the bridal chamber) and Gosain Ghar4 Fig.-3

    (the family deity room).

    Figure2DurgaandSaraswatiPaintedonwallbyManishaJha

  • Even though they have been practising the art

    form for centuries5, it is only over the last three or

    four decades that these women were accorded

    recognition as artists. The evolution of Madhubani

    painting is directly related to the exposure gained

    by the women artists during their journeys from

    their confined anganas (courtyards) Fig.-4, to

    galleries and museums across the world. The

    journey began after the Bihar earthquake in 1934

    resulted in a serious crisis of food and shelter in

    the region. To improve the economic conditions of

    the local people, the government, after

    discovering this painting style peculiar to the

    region, initiated women of the area to transfer

    their wall paintings6 to paper, which could

    subsequently be sold through government

    emporia.

    Government agencies distributed paper among

    the villagers and thus the wall paintings of gosain

    ghar, bhagwati ghar and tulsi chauraha were discovered by the outside world. And

    thence began a parallel journey for both the art and the artist. However, like most

    traditional art forms, the work of the women artists remained anonymous till very late,

    with few daring to put their signatures on their renderings.

    In the late 1960s and 70s, with the growth of painting-on-paper for sale, women

    began earning incomes that were previously unimaginable. In many cases they were

    Fig.3ViewoftypicalBhagwatiGhar,whichispartofeachhouseofMithilaVillageBhojpandaul,MadhubaniDistt.Bihar

    Fig.4ViewoftypicalAnganaCourtyard,whichisamultipurposearea.VillageSatlakha,MadhubaniDistt.,Bihar.

  • able to retain their incomes and use it for the schooling of their daughters, and for

    better food and clothing for their children or themselves. For many it was an

    empowering experience. And at least in some cases, the families of young women

    who were talented painters did not have to pay dowry, or as much dowry, while

    getting married. Well-known painters were also invited to travel to fairs and

    exhibitions elsewhere in India, as well as internationally to countries like Japan7,

    Europe, the United States and Russia. They usually brought a son or husband along

    to assist them, but success in painting meant both new income and greater social

    statuslocally, nationally and internationallyand mobility.

    My paper tries to look at the growth of Mithila paintings across the world along with

    the growth of women of that region. This painting tradition is biggest example of

    women empowerment. It is very surprising and interesting to see women moving

    away from their aangna (courtyard), and moving to different countrys of the world

    through their art. My paper would look at the change in material use, subject and

    aesthetics. It is very interesting to note the change in materials like the colours

    obtained from flora and fauna growing around their houses and the use of chemical

    colours at present.

    Being a Mithila painter myself, I have experienced this change myself as I have seen

    my grandmother using colors in pudia8 available in local market. Aripan was always

    done with pithar i.e. wet rice paste.

  • Recognition as an Art Form

    The Madhubani / Maithali art form has come a

    long way from where it began. A turning point in

    the journey began in 1934, when the wall

    paintings were discovered by William and Mildred

    Archer9, who took photographs and bought them

    to the notice of art collectors, scholars and

    government agencies. Between the 1950s70s,

    Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, promoted the art

    form in a big way and encouraged artists personally by commissioning their works

    for the prime ministers official residence. During the same years Bhasker Kulkarni

    and Upendra Maharathi10 managed to convince some of the artists to paint on paper

    and travel across the country to publicise the art form. At this point Pupul Jaykar,

    Chairperson of the Crafts and Handicrafts Board, also contributed significantly by

    assigning commissioned works to the artists in Delhi.

    In the 1970s and 1980s, scholars like Erica Moser11 and Yves Weguard12 influenced

    the godana (tattoo) style of paintings. Others like Raymond and Naomi13 Owens

    bought large numbers of paintings and sold them across the world; they also

    encouraged artists to develop the narrative style.

    Materials like paper and colours were supplied to these artists free of cost and the

    resulting work was sold through government handicraft shops all over the country.

    As a result these works became famous as Madhubani Paintings. Women of the

    region still paint on the walls and floors of their houses but almost every artist

    nowadays, sometimes men too, paint on paper enabling their art to be sold around

    the world.

    Fig.5,Treeoflife(partpainting)AcryliconCanvasbyUrmilaDevi(w/oBilatPasman)5x4,Collectiontheartist.

  • Liberation through Art

    Mithila had a very conservative society where women never went out of their

    aangna/ courtyard. There was a very clear demarcation of inside- outside activities

    done by male and female members of the family. Specially, women from upper caste

    Brahmin and Kayastha family could never think of going to the village haat14

    (market).Society was much liberal for the Dalit women, may be because they had no

    option but to work on fields and other household works in big families.

    In such harsh social conditions five women artists from Jitwarpur, Ranti and

    Raseedpur villages came forward to work on paper given by Bhaskar Kulkarni.

    These brave women were Sita Devi, Jagdumba Devi, Mahasundari Devi, Jamuna

    Devi, Palti Devi. Following their foot prints Godavri Dutt and Bauwa Devi joined

    them. Even Today, when I sit under a tree in my village, it gives me goose pimples

    thinking about the journey of this art and the artists as, Mithila still has very

    conservative society.

    The Mithila artists painted on common

    themes, however, preferences differed

    according to caste. The three different schools

    of Madhubani paintings can be classified into

    three types according to style and caste:

    Brahmin -Bharni style

    Kayastha -Katchni style

    Goidana-Tattoo style of

    the Harijan community. Fig.6,StoriesofPanchtantra(partdetailfromthepanchatantraseries)AcryliconCanvas,7x7,byManishaJha

  • Bharni Paintings

    Sita Devi a Mahapatra Brahmin was the

    pioneer in developing the Bharni15 style of

    colour painting. The Brahmin style of painting

    lavishly deals with rich variety of colours.

    Their easy access to Hindu sacred literature

    like Ramayana and Mahabharata helped

    them immensely in portraying the rich Hindu

    iconography and mythology. All artists of that

    time could orally recite the whole epic. This

    style is locally known as Bharni, which means

    filling. The Bharni style of painting is bold and colourful, with rich line work around

    the coloured forms. The exposure of Brahmin painters to rich Hindu iconography and

    mythology helped them to develop forms and subjects very easily. The common

    subjects were Vishnu, kaali (Fig.-7), Durga, shri Krishna and all the gods and

    goddesses.

    Sita Devi hailed from Jitwarpur village of Madhubani

    district. Apart from drawing traditional Kohbar paintings she

    painted scenes from nature like lion in the jungle which is

    presently in collection of Craft Museum16, New-Delhi. Sita

    Devi was invited to paint the walls of Prime Minister Indira

    Gandhis office at New Delhi. She was not only nationally

    recognized; she travelled extensively in Europe and

    America and presented her works at various cultural fairs

    Fig.7,Kaali,PostercoloronHandmadePaper,22x30

    ByManishaJha,collectionManisha

    Fig.8,SitaDevi,TheTribuneThursday,December15,2005,Chandigarh,India

  • and exhibitions. After seeing Sita Devis success many other Mahapatra Brahmin

    women from Jitwarpur, and adjoining villages, came forward to present their art.

    Among them Baua Devi inherited her style quiet flawlessly. She is also one of the

    most dynamic painters in the history of Mithila paintings, known for her paintings on

    snakes. Her works are part of many prestigious museums of

    the world

    .

    Fig.10,SitaDevipresentingpaintingtothenPrimeMinisterMrs.IndiraGandhi,Year1969

    Fig.9,ArtistBauaDevi,PaintingonMahabharatatIndiraGandhiNationalCentreforArt

    PhotocreditManishaJha

    Fig.11,MaataKunti,withherfivesons,fromtheMahabhartaseries,AcryliconCanvas,22x7,byManishaJhaIncollectionofJanpadSampada,IndiraGandhiNationalCentreforArt

    Fig.12,WeddingofMaataKuntiwithKingPanduAcryliconCanvas,22x7,incollectionofJanpadSampada,IndiraGandhiNational centre for Art

  • Kayastha Katchni style of paintings

    In the beginning when Mithila paintings were

    being done on paper only a few Brahmin

    women took the opportunity to practice this

    art form. However, a decade later some

    women from the Kayastha17 community,

    attracted by the name, fame and money the

    art brought with it, came forward with a new

    style. The women from the Kayastha

    community started to work on line paintings.

    The unique feature of the Kayastha tradition was the use of monochrome or just two

    colours. Locally these paintings were known as line paintings. These paintings were

    also famous as Katchni18 paintings since, all the forms which were drawn were filled

    with different type of rendering instead of filling colours. The pioneer of this style of

    painting was Ganga Devi, from Raseedpur village of Madhubani district. This style of

    painting evolved more in Ranti village of Madhubani district. In this style the subject

    were more or less same the difference was in the way the whole paper was covered

    by different types of line work.

    Fig.13,Kaali,InkonHandmadePaperbyBimlaDutt,whoisoneofthePioneersofKachnipaintingsfromRantivillageofMadhubaniDistt.

    Fig.14,StoriesofGonuJhaAcryliconCanvas,3x4ByManishaJha,Narrativeformofpaintingsdevelopedwithintroductionofpaperandfinekalam

  • Tattoo Painting of Dusadh community

    The success of Brahmin and Kayastha

    women painters inspired women from the

    lower caste to paint. Mostly all Dusadh

    being landless, they survived on service

    given to the upper caste.

    The dalit/tattoo paintings evolved due to

    the inner urge of dalit women to do something to increase their household income.

    After seeing the success of higher caste women, and on the initiations of outsiders

    like Bhasker Kulkarni and German anthropologist Erica Moser, Dalit women started

    painting on paper. Jamuna Devi, of the Chamar community of Jitwarpur village was

    the first Dalit woman to enter the area of commercialized painting. She was pioneer

    of tattoo or Goidana paintings.

    They took form from the tattoos on their body as they were not aware of the Hindu

    cosmology like the upper caste. Another reason could be the fear of upper caste, as

    They began to draw on their vibrant folklore, retold through legends, songs and

    rituals associated with the Rahu, Sun, Moon and their legendary cultural hero, Raja

    Sailesh19.

    From Mud Walls to Paper-----Colours and

    Materials used

    For centuries women of Mithila have been

    painting on the interior walls of Bhagwati ghar

    (family deity room), Kohbar ghar and on the

    floor of the courtyard. The paintings on wall

    Fig.15,WeddingsofMithila,AcryliconCanvas,6x6byUrmilaDeviPasman,collectionManishaJha

    Fig.16,MudfloorbeingpreparedformakingAripanduringthefestivalsandforritualceremonies

  • were colourful with bold forms and rich bright colours. Whereas, the paintings on

    paper became more intricate, obviously because of smooth surface of paper minute

    nib work was possible.

    The artist depended on the natural surroundings for extracting the colour Most of the

    colours were obtained from the flora growing around, from clay and minerals, barks

    of trees like peepal, and other local flowers and seeds. It is quite interesting to note

    that the main subjects painted were related to nature, and nature inspired and

    supplied material to these women to paint. Gods and goddesses and rituals were the

    main subjects and had an important role to play in the colour used. The main colours

    used were pink, red, chrome yellow, lemon yellow, Persian blue, orange, green,

    black and white.

    A fabric or a piece of rag was generally used for preparing the wall, floor and paper.

    Cow dung was applied both with hands and cloth on wall and floor. This technique is

    called potna. In the early Mithila paintings, a small piece of cloth was tied on a twig

    to apply wet colour.

    Kalam is the Sanskrit word for pen, which is also known as qalam in Persian.

    Charusmita Gupta20 in her Indian folk and Tribal Paintings explains that since the

    basic purpose of a pen is to write and not paint, painting by pen in many folk

    communities was known likhiya. The Kayastha women used fine nib and holder to do

    fine line paintings on paper. Most women artists of early and mid seventies used

    twigs to paint, which was conveniently discarded after use. In late seventies and

    early eighties with exposure to larger world painters like Ganga Devi21, Sita Devi

    breaking their traditional thought process moved on to paint their experiences in

    different countries away from their ritual set up. Though they did not change their

    technique or colours used, these artists began to use different painting tools. Ganga

  • Devi who used reed kalam switched to ink pen and chemical ink. Of late, painters

    have started using poster, fabric and acrylic colours, colours that are much more

    durable and easily available.

    Change of material from mud walls to paper bought

    1. Lot of freedom of expression

    2. Intricacy of art

    3. Respect and recognition for women

    It bought visibility of art and artist to the outer

    world, as paintings on paper could be

    transported very easily and could be exhibited

    in different museums across the globe very

    easily

    Globalization and Changing Nature of

    Womens Life

    Women Empowerment

    The domestic routine expressions of the Mithila

    painters were transformed into art, empowering

    them both spiritually and economically. Most of

    the artists discovered their hidden power through

    their artistic expressions. As Heera Kanth an artist

    from Ranti village recalls that I got married

    because of my paintings, painting is my son.

    Fig.17,TheGoldenDeer(fromtheRamayanaseries)AcryliconCanvas,2008,CollectionofManishaJha

    Fig.18,groupofwomenworkingtogether,withintroductionofnewmaterials,andexposureofwomentodifferentcitiesthecastesystemexistinginthepaintingstylehastotallymerged.

  • The sale of paintings brought economic freedom to women(Fig.-19). The women

    whose world was confined to their courtyard or Bhagwati ghar, slowly moved out to

    urban areas like Delhi, Bombay, Japan, and United States. They became decision-

    makers of their house. They contributed to their childrens education and in

    constructing pucca (permanent) houses for their families. Sita Devi, as a pioneer of

    this painting tradition, epitomizes the art form which not only changed her life but

    also that of her village. It was because of these

    women artists that villages like Jitwarpur, Ranti

    and Raseedpur in Madhubani district became

    world famous. Sita Devis son used to travel with

    her and assist her in most of her commissioned

    works. Chandrakala Devi, a fisherwoman and now

    an established Mithila painter believes that Kamla

    mai is always with me after the murder of her husband she could support her four

    daughters and old in-laws just because of her inner strength and prosperity which

    her paintings bought to her. Today with her hard work she has been encouraging

    and guiding women of the upper caste who have been coming to her for guidance

    after seeing her success. Similarly, Urmila Devi wife of Bilto, the Goidana painter of

    Jitwarpur village, is the pathfinder for all her five children who have been assisting

    her in her work and have taken up painting as a full time profession. Today, Urmila

    (Fig.-20) has the confidence of talking to all the sahebs (officers of handicraft office)

    and her husband Bilto is very happy escorting her to all the exhibitions. She says

    quite fondly that it is because of her paintings that the younger generation do not

    mind having a cup of tea with me.

    Fig.19 Womensellingtheirworksthroughexhibition.

  • Baua Devi married off all five daughters of hers in to

    decent families with her income. Today, four of her

    children are well settled in Delhi along with their

    mother. All her children including her son-in-law

    have taken to their mothers business. Godavri Dutt

    the most famous painter from Ranti Village shares a

    similar story. After her husband left her she never looked back in life. She was the

    main decision maker and financer in settling her only son and getting all her

    granddaughters educated and married in to good families.

    Today, many painters like Baua Devi, Shanti Devi, Heera Kanth and many unknown

    artists have taken the bold decision of shifting to Delhi. They are all doing

    commissioned works and exhibiting their works in government exhibitions.

    Paintings by Men

    Seeing the success of the women, several menwho had never participated in the

    ritually oriented wall paintingsalso began painting on paper, though most depicted

    secular images. The first of the men were a family of Tantric priests who produced

    paintings on the avtaars of Vishnu, Shiva and Shakti along with their yantras. Since

    1980, Krishnanand Jha has been painting these images along with paintings on

    episodes from the Ramayana and Krishna Leela. Following the footsteps of his

    father his son, popularly known as Goluji, has been painting trees and animals.

    (paintings by Krishnanadjee and his son)

    Another artist, Gopal Saha, who also started painting around 1980, is known for his

    paintings done on local subjects like an overcrowded bus, train etc. As compared to

    Fig.20,UrmilaDeviPasman,VillageJitwarpur,MadhubaniDistt.

  • the paintings by Krishnanand Jha his paintings are very bright with distinct line work.

    He is one of the most imaginative painters who have been doing very contemporary

    topics. Gopal is assisted by his two sons in completing his works. It is quite

    interesting to note that several husbands have left their works and have joined their

    wives, helping them in selling their paintings.

    Conclusion

    The emerging demand from tourists, scholars, and elite urban collectors has

    contributed in developing individual styles. It is very important for cultural critics and

    public intellectuals to understand that this commercialization is not destroying Mithila

    painting. In fact, since last forty years Mithila painters have been expressing their

    personal experiences in their works. As said earlier it is changing with the change in

    environment, education level and personal experiences of individual artists. Mithila

    painting is a very powerful medium of visual arts which has affected many urban

    artists, designers, students and research scholars all over the world. It is very

    interesting to note that Mithila painting is one of the rare folk art which has not

    stagnated unlike patachitra, tanjore paintings; it is a living art which is growing

    everyday with the growth of its artists. Two types of markets are emerging one is the

    mass produced section of Mithila paintings seen in stacks at Dilli Haat and other craft

    bazaars and other section is the contemporary Mithila paintings which are finding

    very comfortable space in art galleries all over the world. I believe very strongly that

    Mithila paintings and its artist have broken the barrier where folk art and

    contemporary art are seen differently.

  • 1. Mithila Mithila the present day Bihar was named after their princess

    Maithili i.e. Sitaji. As per the folktales it is believed that king Janak ordered

    all the people to decorate their houses with paintings on the walls. It is also

    believed that Goddess Parvati herself painted the Kohbar Ghar of Lord Rama

    and Goddess Sita.

    2. Aripan The Maithili word Aripan stems from the Sanskrit alepana which

    derives from the root lip, meaning to smear, and therefore basically refers to

    smearing the ground with cowdung for ritual purification. In Mithila Aripan is

    made of wet rice paste with four fingers.

    3. Kohbar Ghar Mithila has a tradition of four day wedding, all the rituals which

    take place in the room mostly in the North Eastern part of the house is known

    as Kohbar Ghar. On the Eastern wall of the Kohbar Ghar, Kohbar painting is

    done.

    4. Gosain Ghar Every house hold in Mithila has a separate deity room

    (Kuldevta) this room is known as Gosain Ghar.

    5. Centuries It is believed that Mithila paintings have being practiced since the

    time of Ramayana and has been coming down generations orally from

    mothers to daughters.

    6. Wall paintings Following the disastrous earthquake in 1934, William G.

    Archer, the local colonial sub-divisional officer, discovered the wall paintings

    existing in different households of Mithilanchal. He photographed these

    paintings and his photographs were the earliest documentation of the wall

    paintings in 1930s.

    7. Japan Japan is the only country which has a Mithila museum started by

    Tokio Hasegawa, the founder of Mithila museum in Niigata, Japan. He

  • commissioned all the early Mithila Painters from Ganga Devi, Karpoori Devi,

    etc. To stay and paint in the Museum.

    8. Pudia color powder folded in piece of paper is locally known as pudia.

    9. William and Mildred Archer Archer and later his wife Milderd, also donated

    to the British Libarary a set of Aide memories said to be from the 1920s to

    1940s, use by woman to help in painting the marriage chamber, as well as 12

    paintings dated 1967-1975.

    10. Bhasker Kulkarni and Upendra Maharathi He was a Bombay based artist,

    who was commissioned by All India Handicraft Board to go to the district town

    of Madhubani and to encourage local women to put their paintings on paper

    so they might sell them as a new source of family income.

    11. Erica Moser was a German scholar, who stayed in Jitwarpur and has a big

    contribution in development of Godana painting and tattoo painting.

    12. Yves Weguard He was a French collector who visited villages of Madhubani

    Distt. Several times and collected painting from different artists. Although the

    painting in his book are from early Mithila painter but the inferences made by

    him are not correct. Women Painters of Mithila. London. Thames and

    Hudson. (Also 1976 in French).

    13. Raymond and Naomi Raymond and his wife Naomi Owens, who spent

    many months with the painter between 1977 and 2000. He was one of the

    main collectors of this art.

    14. Haat The village market is locally known as Haat.

    15. Bharni The filling of colors within a particular form is known as Bharni, the

    colored Brahmin paintings were known as Bharni painting.

  • 16. & 21. Craft Museum Ganga Devi the pioneer of Kachni paintings was given

    very prominent presence in the museum by the then director Jyotindra Jain.

    Refer JAIN, JYOTINDRA. 1997. Ganga Devi: Tradition and Expression in

    Mithila Painting. Ahmedabad, Mapin.

    17. Kayastha The money lender community whose women painted the

    monochrome or the line painting.

    18. Katchni The breaking of forms through different techniques of line is locally

    known as Katchni.

    19. Raja Sailesh The local god worship by the dalit community, JAIN,

    JYOTINDRA. 1995. The Bridge of Vermilion: Narrative Rhythm in the Dusadh

    Legends of Mithila. In Indian Painting: Essays in Honour of Karl J.

    Khandalavala. Ed. B.N. Goswamy and Usha Bhatia. Lalit Kala Akademi, New

    Delhi. 207-22.

    20. Charusmita Gupta Indian Folk and Tribal paintings, published by Roli Books

    2008.

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  • BROWN, CAROLYN HENNING. 1996. Contested Meanings: Tantra and the Poetics of

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