MEETING BIHAR ARTISTS AT "FOOD AND CRAFT BAZAR", DILLI HAAT ON OCTOBER 13, 2018

It was a great experience..........visiting the FOOD AND CRAFT BAZAR, DILLI HAAT at New Delhi but it was equally refreshing experience when we could get the information of having about 23 craft stalls from Bihar and that too from Mithila region with most of the stalls of Madhubani painting, belonging largely to Jitwarpur artists.......and few of them are also displaying products of Sikki craft and Paper Mashie also.

The first stall I visited, belonged to Pankaj Jha of Jitwarpur followed by Renu Jha, also of Jitwarpur, all from Madhubani district. I visited the third stall, who hail from Simri, Rajnagar, Madhubani.

The fourth stall belonged to Nitin Kumar Jha from Sahar Ghat, Benipatti, Madhubani. He lamented, "Benipatti becomes the backyard and are not highlighted like their brethren at Jitwarpur or Ranti but they are also equally capable....."

In the stall of Nitin, I also met Chakradhar Lall, Paper Mashie artists with his products. He belonged to Sursand, Sitamarhi. She is the son of famous Sikki artist, Late Kumudini Devi of Sitamarhi district. I visited the stall of Prayas Bharti, artist of Madhubani Painting from Subhankarpur, Darbhanga.

I visited the stall of Ganesh Paswan, famous artist from Jitwarpur and younger brother of Shiven Paswan (National Awardee).Then I had been to the stall of Atish Kumar, also from Jitwarpur.

Lastly, I visited the stall of Ram Kumar Dutta who is also from Jitwarpur. Presently, he is settled in New Delhi and is one of the leading Artist-Entrepreneur.

Whereas, some of them are artists of Madhubani Paintings but most of them are 'Artist cum entrepreneur'......and few of them have already settled in New Delh with varied contacts across India and abroad.

Most of the stall of the artists, whom I visited are State Awardees. The Madhubani Painitings have been known for three distinct styles: - Bharni, Kachni and Godna along with few variants. The most significant thing about the Madhubani Painting about their modern day counterparts are that they are more with experimentation, fusions are demand oriented products and ..........some of the paintings are drawn by the artists; who stay away from "Mithila Geographical regions".........and as a result.....they may be retaining the styles........ but cannot catch the earthly flavour of Mithilanchal!

The marketing network of Madhubani Painting have flourished and travelled a long distance, all these years, both in 'space and time' but the question arises is that "Whether the existing marketing network and design interventions have helped the artists of Madhubani Painting in general or it has only helped few artists and their family members?"