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, hand-made paper and canvas.

 

Mithila Painting or Madhubani Painting is a style of Indian painting, practiced in the Mithila region of Bihar state,esp. village like sahorwa, parsa, hatni, suryahi, ghogardiha, jhanjarpur and many more villages  in bihar,  India.

Madubani paintings originated in a village of the same name located in the interiors of Bihar. The art is practiced by the females only. It is their creative expression of day to day experiences and happenings. It is practiced as a part of daily rituals. It is a centuries old craft. The craft started as a welcome to the deities that, as per the belief, visited the homes of the devotees every morning.

Themes of Madhubani Paintings

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 .

To begin with the paintings were don on the walls and floors. The floor and the walls were first coated with cow dung and mud paste. On drying they were painted with the rice paste. Now the art is practiced on handmade paper coated with a layer of cow dung. Earlier only rice paste and vegetable colors were used. Now with the changing trends and requirements, poster colors are also used. The paintings appear three dimensional.

The central theme is in variably Hindu Gods and Goddesses. The main theme is supported by the traditional geometric patterns. Goddess Lakshmi is repeatedly drawn from the door to the worship room in the traditional floor paintings. Signifying the prosperity walking in. Lord Ram with his consort Sita is another common theme as Sita is supposed to be born in that region also known as Mithila and hence the other name of the art form Mithila Paintings.

Each symbol used by the Madhubani artist symbolizes specific things like fishes symbolize good luck while the serpents are the protectors. Other geometrical patterns also signify auspice. These paintings though developed in the rural areas, are much cherished even by the urban elite.