FAQ
Madhubani / Mithila Art is a 2500-year-old folk art. It is said to date back to the time of Ramayana, when king Janaka asked the women to decorate the city walls for his daughter Sita's wedding to Rama. This painting tradition continued since then and is usually created by women on walls and floors during festivals, ceremonies or special occasions. Having originated in the Mithila region ,this form of painting, also known as Mithila art, has been in practice in areas around Bihar and Nepal. Mithila or Madhubani paintings were done by fingers and twigs using natural colours in earlier times, but now nibs and brushes are used with acrylic paints. These paintings are bright in color and there are rarely any blank spaces in these paintings. The themes include natural elements like sun, moon, the flora and fauna. It depict scenes of wedding rituals, religious rituals, festivals and
Indian mythology.
The styles used in Madhubani / Mithila Art are:
Bharni:
Bharni means filling. In the Bharni style, the outlines of the images are drawn in bold and dark black and the images are filled with bright colors like red, yellow, orange, etc.
Kachni :
Kachni means line art. In the Kachni style, elaborate line paintings are made. The images are filled with closely drawn parallel lines or small dots and patterns. The thickness of the lines depends on the design.
Godhna:
Godhna means tattoo. In the Godhna style, repeated images are arranged in parallel lines, concentric circles or rectangles to form various patterns. The images are drawn in black, but some are also filled with colors.
Tantrik:
Tantrik style depicts religious texts and characters related to them. The Tantrik style includes manifestations of Maha Kali, Maha Durga, Maha Saraswati, Maha Lakshmi, and Maha Ganesh along with other Tantrik symbols.
Kohbar :
Kohbar includes painting of auspicious symbols on the wall of Kohbar or the nuptial chamber to bless the newly wed couple . Kohbar painting is filled with rich details and each contributing significantly to the meaning of the whole.