Madhubani Paintings

Madhubani is situated north of Bihar 24kms.short of Nepal border.The belief is that in Mithila, King Janaka at the time of the wedding of Lord Rama and Sita introduced this Aripana Lekha.The floors and walls were painted using cowdung as paints and fingers as paint brush.The pictures were of deities for blessings and also of animals like snakes,birds and fishes.A hobby thus created moved from floors and walls to specially made paper.The paper used is smeared with cowdung,dried and then dipped in water,leaving it to dry again to get the mudwall finish.Now a days these designs are drawn in circles,triangles,squares,hexagonal patterns to depict religious festivals and functions.Pictures of Lord Ganesha,Lord Krishna,Lord Shiva are also popular.Madhubani paintings have secured an admirable place for itself throughout the world, not only as paintings adorning the walls but also as designs on sarees, scarves, ties, bedspreads and curtains.