Do all Madhubani Paintings Depict Hindu Gods?

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By Tanushree Midha

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Introduction

In today’s day and age, in India, if there is one folk art tradition that has gained widespread prominence, it is the Madhubani art of Bihar. Rooted in the Mithila region of Bihar and Nepal, this art tradition, also called Mithila art, is said to date back to the age of the Ramayana. Mithila is considered to be the birthplace of Sita, the daughter of King Janaka, who is said to have commissioned Mithila paintings to commemorate the marriage of Sita with Rama. Beginning as a wall painting tradition, this art form has also found its way to modern audiences by incorporating new elements and syncreticising concepts and ideas from various cultures, while also retaining the essence of the tradition.

Now coming to the question at hand- Do all Madhubani paintings depict Hindu gods?- The simple answer is No, all Madhubani paintings do not depict Hindu gods. While the tradition is synonymous with Hindu deities like Sita and Rama due to its locational relevance to the Ramayana, and also depicts other divine couples and deities like Radha Krishna, Shiva and Parvati, these are not the only themes that are prevalent in this art form. Considering that Madhubani art is derived from the socio cultural aspects of the lives of the people of Mithila, these not only depict daily scenes, people and nature, but have also incorporated symbols and motifs from other cultures and traditions, due to the importance of places like Vidisha, Vaishali and Nalanda, all of which have witnessed the proliferations of cultures and religions over centuries.

Shiva-Parvati Wedding in Madhubani Painting by Pratima Bharti

To understand the themes of Madhubani paintings, let us look at some of the important symbols and motifs used in this artistic tradition and their relevance to the people and area of Mithila.

Natural Symbolism

As with most folk traditions of India, the people of Mithila are extremely rooted in their natural surroundings, which is why motifs relating to the natural elements, flora and fauna become very prominent and common in the Madhubani art form as well. These animals and plants are not only ritually incorporated in the beliefs and art of the region, but are also a part of their daily lives and habits.

The fish is one of the most common and important symbols in the Madhubani artistic tradition, being considered as a symbol of fertility and prosperity. Often depicted in a multitude of ways, the fish is an integral part of the culture of Mithila and is also considered to be a part of the communal identity of Bihar. The symbolism of the fish can also be seen in the food and rituals of the community, for whom it is not just a staple in their diet, but also something that is eaten at the birth of a new child and after the death of a community member, showing how significantly the art, culture, people and rituals of Mithila are embedded in each other. The peacock is considered to be another symbol of fertility and love, but is also respected and revered due to its connection to Lord Krishna, a popular figure in Madhubani paintings. Like peacocks, parrots are also considered to be indicative of love, and are considered important additions as storytellers or narrators to the Kohbar paintings, which are specially decorated wedding chambers for a newly married couple. Tortoises and elephants are also added to these Kohbar paintings to signify eternal connection between the bride and groom and healthy procreation respectively.

Four Fish in Madhubani painting by Pratima Bharti

Among the plants, the lotus becomes one of the most used motifs in Madhubani paintings and is widely found in Bihar as well. Considered to be symbolic of prosperity and auspiciousness, these also signify the concept of purity, as the lotus blooms into a beautiful flower out of muddy waters. Lotuses are also associated with a lot of gods and goddesses such as Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Vishnu and Goddess Saraswati. However, owing to the prevalence of Tantric beliefs, the lotus is also associated with femininity, female sexuality and sexual energy. The bamboo is another plant that is used to signify purity and good fortune, and is also used to represent men and masculine energy, in comparison to the lotus representing the feminine energy.

The Sun and Moon are also a popular concept in Madhubani art, representing the concept of duality in the cosmic order. Most representations depict the Sun on the left side and the Moon on the right side of the paintings, and usually depict the masculine and feminine energies. Together they are meant to create balance, where the Sun depicts vitality, the Moon depicts calmness, and their harmony is worshipped during weddings as well as festivals like Chhath Puja and Satyanarayan Puja.

Shining Sun Madhubani Painting by Ambika Devi

Painting the People

Madhubani paintings also represent one very important motif- the women- the ones who actually create these masterpieces. The resilience of the artistic tradition of Madhubani has been attributed to the women of the community, among whom the traditional knowledge of this art form has been passed down generations from grandmother to mother to daughter. The women practiced this art on the walls of their houses and their floors, especially during special occasions like weddings and festivals, which then became an integral part of the celebrations. It is only in recent times that men have also come to join in this artistic tradition. Women in these paintings are depicted as doing their daily chores, celebrating in groups, carrying water and feeding their animals among others. Their depictions can be considered as an expression of their desires and wishes, shown in the form of celebrations, or represented through deities and motifs rather than human figures.

2 women in Madhubani by Priti Karn

Amongst the Dusadh caste, who practice the Godna sub style of Madhubani art, the story of Raja Salhesh, a local deity, is also very popular, with his depictions showing him with his consorts Dauna and Malin, animals like the tiger and natural scenes

Shakta and Tantric Visualities

In the 14th century CE, one of the earliest major writers to use Maithili as a literary language, Vidyapati, talked extensively about the proliferation of the area of Mithila as a centre of Shaktism and Tantric beliefs. The prevalence of the Shakta and Tantra beliefs manifested in the form of rituals and artworks, such as Gosani puja, Naga worship and Aripanas, which are still practiced today and also point to the importance of the associated deities in the Madhubani artistic traditions

Goddess Durga is considered to be one of the foremost deities depicted in the works of the Brahmin and Kayastha Madhubani artists while Goddess Kali is depicted as one of main deities to bless a newly married couple in Kohbar paintings. The Dasa Mahavidyas or ten aspects of Adi Parashakti, another Tantric pantheon, also gets depicted in paintings frequently. The Ardhanarishwara forms of Radha Krishna and Shiva Parvati are also popular.

Goddess Durga in Madhubani by Ambika Devi

However, some of the most common depictions that show the influence of the Shakta and Tantric cults come from the depiction of Yantras, which are depicted in the form of Aripanas and Kohbars. Aripanas are supposed to act as a channel for invoking the energies from different elements of the Earth and are usually depicting various deities. However, a popular form of aripanas includes mandalas and tantric designs, which are supposed to symbolise the presence of Shakti. One such mandala is the Sarvatobhadra mandala, which is made during festivals and rituals like Durga puja and Tulsi puja, and is believed to be the source of all mandalas and yantras, considering that it dates back to the time of Vedic sacrifices. One of the most important Aripanas is the Astadala, the eight petalled lotus, that is usually drawn for Durga Puja, but is also symbolic of the eight Siddhis, or eight superpowers in Tantra and Yogic belief.

Cosmic Lotus Fish mandala in Madhubani by Ambika Devi

Buddhist Motifs and Sufi Concepts

Although Buddhism has long been a part of Mithila’s history, with the Buddha visiting it during his lifetime, the proximity of important Buddhist sites like Vidisha and Nalanda, as well as the impact of the Pala patronage of Buddhism, traditional Buddhist motifs never found their way in Madhubani art, with the Buddha only being incorporated in recent times. However, there was a sect of Buddhism that the community in Mithila took shine to, which was the Tantric Vajrayana Buddhist sect. The prevalence of Hindu Shakta and Tantric beliefs also led to the popularisation of Vajrayana beliefs and deities, especially Goddess Tara. Although there are no separate depictions to show the influence of Vajrayana beliefs, the concept of mantras and mandalas is extremely imperative to both the Tantric Hindus and Tantric Buddhists, which is why Vidyapati and modern scholars have also understood Tantricism as a concept that is not fully Hindu or Buddhist, but rather a mix of these two.

Buddha's Enlightenment a Serene Madhubani Art by Ambika Devi

Islamic Sufism was introduced in the region of Bihar and Bengal around the early 13th century CE. Although Sufism as a movement was gaining prominence among the population, there are no motifs or symbols that arise from this cultural integration. However, there are similarities in the concepts of Sufism and their translation in the art of Mithila, the most prominent being the invocation of the spiritual presence without depicting the deity. The Sufi beliefs of understanding devotion as something that transcends representation and is instead practiced through repetition and practices that encourage contemplation, go hand in hand with the depiction of ritualistic floor paintings like the aripanas, the use to repetitive shapes in mandalas and concepts like the shunya or zero and bindu, symbolising the Formless Divine.

The Infinite Cycle: Mandala in Madhubani by Pratima Bharti

Conclusion

The artistic tradition of Mithila is not only one that is popular amongst the folk traditions of India, but is also one that is testament to the diverse history of the region it originates from. Having started as the wall painting tradition, it has found its way to the newer generations by adapting to modern methods such as paper and cloth. However, an artistic tradition cannot survive without the people to sustain it, which is why Madhubani art is not just art, but an amalgamation of the socio, cultural and religious beliefs and practices of the people who have lived and the people who continue it today.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1) What are some of the common themes and deities depicted in Madhubani art?

Madhubani art depicts a wide variety of themes from Hindu deities like Sita, Rama, Krishna, Shiva and Parvati to Tantric and folk deities like Kali, Durga and Raj Salhesh are also popular. These paintings also depict natural motifs like fishes, lotus, bamboo, peacocks and elephants among others along with the people of Mithila and their daily lives.

Q2) How did Madhubani painting start?

The Madhubani artistic tradition is said to have started during the period of the Ramayana, when Sita’s father commissioned these wall paintings to commemorate her marriage to Rama. These were then continued as wall paintings for ceremonial and festive purposes.

Q3) Are women important to Madhubani art?

Women are not only important but central to the proliferation and development of the Madhubani artistic tradition. The tradition was traditionally passed down through generations from the grandmother to the mother to the daughter, it is only recently that men have also started painting. Women are also a major theme in Madhubani paintings, being depicted doing everyday chores such as carrying water, celebrating or feeding animals.

Q4) How are Tantric beliefs shown in Madhubani paintings?

Tantric beliefs, both Hindu and Buddhist are depicted through the devotion towards deities like Kali, Durga, the Dasa Mahavidyas and Tara as well as through the representation of Yantras through Aripanas and Kohbars such as the Sarvatobhadra mandala and Astadala motifs.

References

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