By Sagar Chakraborty(27th June, 2008)
A women art, Madhubani paintings is often accused of. Despite of its
feminist evangelism, this legendary art of rural India, passed from one
generation to other, turned virtually genetic. But the fact says, it is
indeed a woman art, who live in their frail hamlets near the market town of
Madhubani in northern India, defending their old tradition and pass it to
their female offsprings.
Madhubani paintings is more of a ritual than just expressions of
creativity. Women paint their village walls from the nature and myth to mark
the seasonal festivals of the religious year. In an auspicious ocassion like
marriage, women have designed incredibly beautiful wedding proposals. This
fantastic but obscure art lingering through many centuries, but these women
got recognized as an "artists" only in the last thirty years. As
the art is not very old in the eyes of world, there are much things that
still in oblivion. The illiteracy among women, is a primary factor for
reluctance of accepting themselves as the sole conceivers of this splendid
art form.
Tribal women of northern Bihar apathetically nursing the art as a
preparation for religious ceremonies and important festivities. The painting
is unique for their vibrant lines and striking colours. Madhubani, literally
means 'forest of honey', is Bihar largest district and one of the centres of
this preserved art. There is no or diminutive changes happened in the style
and painting for centuries. It is not just painting the objects but an
expressions of their rich tradition and spirit - which is treasured and
faithfully handed down generations.
Women first plastering the wall with cowdung and worked together. The more
skillfull draws sketches with a twig of scratched bamboo. The colour is the
main element of this paintings and normally uses vibrant colours like
orange, red, green, pink, black and sometimes white. These natural colors
are extracted from minerals and plants. But now a days, chemical colours
have won far-flung tolerance.
Although colour is a basic element that blossom forth the paintings but the
more emphasise on link work, which gives it a tapestry look. The paintings
are drawn with full devotion as each painting represent a creation, the
artist, the medium, and the supreme Brahma, the creator. As a result, very
rarely outline once drawn, rework.
For many of these poverty ridden villages, this is now become a major
source of income and their production and initial marketing have been
regulated by regional craft guilds, the state government of Bihar and also
by the government of India. This amazing work of art is carefully preserved
by the rural women notwithstanding their poverty and social obligations.
Other Indian Art
Mehendi
Bihar Famous Travel Destinations
Bodhgaya
Nalanda
Rajgir
