Madhubani art is one of Indian’s oldest folk art forms. It has been around for centuries and it is only now beginning to come into the limelight through modern adaptations. Madhubani art started out as traditional paintings done by women from the village of Mithila, eventually evolved into paper and canvas paintings and has now made its foray into fashion.
Origins & Brief History
Madhubani art originated from the ancient kingdom of Mithila (now modern day Bihar and southern part of Nepal). For this reason it is often referred to as Mithila art. The name Madhubani also comes from its origins as it means ‘forests of honey’. The paintings are mainly based on themes related to mythology, folklore and traditional symbols. Madhubani paintings were traditionally done on the floor or walls, as a means to decorate a house before a religious festival or ceremony (particularly weddings). So, a lot of the paintings depict scenes of marriage, courtship, mythological stories, and symbols of prosperity (such as fish, elephant, parrot, tree, sun, moon etc.). The paintings are created using twigs, matchsticks, fingers, brushes and nib pens using natural vegetable and plant-based dyes. There are two styles for creating the Madhubani paintings that are Kachni and Bharni. Kachni style uses fine lines or outlines to fill the paintings (only one or two colors are used). In Bharni style black outlines are created that are filled with bright and solid colors.
A Madhubani painting on a village house wall
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Evolution of Madhubani Art
The women of the village were mainly the ones who practiced the art form and passed it on to the next generation. During the 1960’s Bihar was hit by drought. So, to make up for the lack of income from selling crop, women of the village started creating the paintings on paper as means to generate sufficient income. This is when the art form evolved from being painted on house floors/walls to paper and canvas. As the art from continued to evolve and grow, the themes changed as well, focusing more on nature, birds and flora-fauna. With the changing times, men have begun to take up the art form as well.Also some natural dyes used for painting are slowly being replaced by synthetic dyes.
Madhubani paintings on paper and canvas
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Madhubani & Fashion
Apart from evolving on to other forms like paintings on canvas and paper, Madhubani art has made its way into fashion as well. Due to its rich colors and intricate designs, it is a recurring theme and inspiration for many designers, making its presence felt on the fashion runway. Madhubani art inspired designs can be easily worn to create a fashion statement.
Madhubani art inspired fashion Sari
(Image Source : fashionbuzzer.com )
Style Tip: To wear Madhubani art inspired fashion, choose from hand painted Madhubani Saris or simple accessories (like a bag or stole) to create a unique look that is sure to stand out.
Hand painted Madhubani Sari
(Image Source : www.theloom.in )
Hand Painted Madhubani Dupatta
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Madhubani art inspired Bag
(Image Source: www.theloom.in )
-Arzoo B. Dhanda
