A decade ago, I received a clock from an old employer/colleague/friend as a gift for my wedding. A simple clock in a rustic distressed wooden frame with a madhubani-esque design. Little did I know at the time that it was inspired by Madhubani art. Of all the expensive gifts I might have received during my wedding, this simple clock remains one of my prized possessions.
Tracing the art’s origin to Mithila (now Bihar), the Madhubani art form has remained relevant through the years all the way back from the times of Ramayana. With prominent eyes, pointy noses and the use of natural elements such as lotuses, fishes, peacocks and other animals, the characteristic Madhubani art is used to put forth powerful messages or stories with these intricate designs and bold depictions of gods and goddesses. The women of Mithila typically decorated their homes and walls using natural materials such as twigs, sandalwood, kumkum, dyes from flowers such as indigo and turmeric to create their works of art. Thanks to modern technology, we are now able to practice this art form using any art medium we want.
This pandemic has been a horrendous place so far. And we could all do with some wellness therapy to deal with the lows of this period. Art is a great way to get just that right in your very own home. I love turning to art to channel some of the bottled up anxiety, anger and frustrations. It has not only soothed me and helped me move to a better place. It always rewards me with the greatest gift in the end – an amazing piece of art to adorn my walls just like the women from Mithila.
Here are some of my baby steps in Madhubani. I have drawn inspiration for my art from various other artists.
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Beautiful colors in art form Madhubani is quite a range of tradition and time treasured culture. Classic your article has added life deserves compliments.