As would be expected of any ancient civilization, Bihar has a very rich tradition of folk art. In the north, the predominant theme are from the myths and legends of Hinduism. The Hindu deities, Lord Rama and His consort Seeta; and Lord Shiva and His consort, Parvati, form the main theme of folk paintings. Lord Krishna and His consort, Radha, are not as common a theme as they are in the neighbouring states of Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Also included, either under the guise of the Hindu deities as couples, or more overtly by paintings of man and woman as husband and wife, is the theme of procreation. These paintings frequently adorn the nuptial chamber, the kohbar, of a newly married couple on their wedding night.
One of the art forms of Bihar, the Madhubani School of Painting, has lately received much attention and poularity. There are quite a few websites devoted to Madhubani painting. Hence their effort will not be duplicated here. Rather, the viewer is encouraged to visit one very scholarly of these sites. I simply would like to add that the credit for bringing recent and massive popularity to this art form goes, in large measure, to the Late Lalit Narayan Mishra. In his capacity as the Minister for Railways in Mrs. Indira Gandhi's cabinet, reproductions of these paintings adorned the coaches of many fast and super-fast trains, beginning with the Jayanti-Janta Express (Samastipur to Delhi.) Copies of the paintings became a hot-selling item for both native and foreign travellers. The reproductions could be found in plenty, for instance, among the hawkers in the bustling streetside market along the Janpath (near Connaught Circus) in New Delhi - a must for the foreign tourist! Credit is due also to Mr. Bhaskar Kulkarni, erstwhile member of the Indian Handicrafts Federation. He was the first to organize an exhbition of this school of paintings at New Delhi in 1967. This brought instant international recognition.
The background of this page is from a madhubani painting. Please click here for the original image and some explanatory comments about the image (the latter, of course, only for those who may need one!)
Mention must be made of the Patna School of Painting or the Patna Qalaam, which sadly does not exist any more. This offshoot of the well-know Mughal Miniature School of Painting flourished in Bihar during early 18th to mid 20th century. The practitioner of this art form were descendants of Hindu artisans of Mughal painting who facing persecution from the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb found refuge, via Murshidabad, in Patna during late 18th century. They settled in the eastern part of modern Patna, in Patna City, in the following areas: Lodikatra, the Chowk, Diwan Muhalla, and Machharhatti. They found patronage from th zemindars (landlords) and the British officials. They shared the characteristics of the Mughal painters, but unlike them (whose subjects included only royalty and court scenes), the Patna painters also started painting bazaar scenes. This was not just an artistic expansion, but was indeed a shrewd move! It not only enriched the style of painting, but also brought commercial success among the common citizens including British officers and their wives. It is, of course, not the purpose of this short narrative to give a detailed account of this lovely and distinct art form that flourished in Bihar for almost two centuries. However, the following may be stated here: It is this school of painting that formed the nucleus for the formation of the Patna Art School under the leadership of Shri Radha Mohan. From a modest beginning in one single room on the Govind Mitra Road in Patna, it has blossomed into the Government School of Arts and Crafts, currently housed in a large building near the Patna Museum. Radha Mohan was a disciple of Shri Mahadev Lal (circa 1860-1942), the last Master of the Patna qalaam. Some examples can be found at the Gallery located in the School mentioned before.
After lying in a moribund state for years, the Patna School of Arts and Crafts now is showing signs of life. Prof. Anunay Choubey, a renowned teacher of English in the Patna University, the author of an authoritative dissertation on the American poet, Ezra Pound, and a gifted artist in his own rights, only recently (September 1999) has been named to head this intitution. And, we are delighted to report, he has accepted this responsibility. We wish Anunay Godspeed in this very important responsibility. Under his able leadership, we have no doubt, the former lustre will be restored to this august institution, and the traditions it represents will become vibrant again, in no time.
One of the art forms of Bihar, the Madhubani School of Painting, has lately received much attention and poularity. There are quite a few websites devoted to Madhubani painting. Hence their effort will not be duplicated here. Rather, the viewer is encouraged to visit one very scholarly of these sites. I simply would like to add that the credit for bringing recent and massive popularity to this art form goes, in large measure, to the Late Lalit Narayan Mishra. In his capacity as the Minister for Railways in Mrs. Indira Gandhi's cabinet, reproductions of these paintings adorned the coaches of many fast and super-fast trains, beginning with the Jayanti-Janta Express (Samastipur to Delhi.) Copies of the paintings became a hot-selling item for both native and foreign travellers. The reproductions could be found in plenty, for instance, among the hawkers in the bustling streetside market along the Janpath (near Connaught Circus) in New Delhi - a must for the foreign tourist! Credit is due also to Mr. Bhaskar Kulkarni, erstwhile member of the Indian Handicrafts Federation. He was the first to organize an exhbition of this school of paintings at New Delhi in 1967. This brought instant international recognition.
The background of this page is from a madhubani painting. Please click here for the original image and some explanatory comments about the image (the latter, of course, only for those who may need one!)
Mention must be made of the Patna School of Painting or the Patna Qalaam, which sadly does not exist any more. This offshoot of the well-know Mughal Miniature School of Painting flourished in Bihar during early 18th to mid 20th century. The practitioner of this art form were descendants of Hindu artisans of Mughal painting who facing persecution from the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb found refuge, via Murshidabad, in Patna during late 18th century. They settled in the eastern part of modern Patna, in Patna City, in the following areas: Lodikatra, the Chowk, Diwan Muhalla, and Machharhatti. They found patronage from th zemindars (landlords) and the British officials. They shared the characteristics of the Mughal painters, but unlike them (whose subjects included only royalty and court scenes), the Patna painters also started painting bazaar scenes. This was not just an artistic expansion, but was indeed a shrewd move! It not only enriched the style of painting, but also brought commercial success among the common citizens including British officers and their wives. It is, of course, not the purpose of this short narrative to give a detailed account of this lovely and distinct art form that flourished in Bihar for almost two centuries. However, the following may be stated here: It is this school of painting that formed the nucleus for the formation of the Patna Art School under the leadership of Shri Radha Mohan. From a modest beginning in one single room on the Govind Mitra Road in Patna, it has blossomed into the Government School of Arts and Crafts, currently housed in a large building near the Patna Museum. Radha Mohan was a disciple of Shri Mahadev Lal (circa 1860-1942), the last Master of the Patna qalaam. Some examples can be found at the Gallery located in the School mentioned before.
After lying in a moribund state for years, the Patna School of Arts and Crafts now is showing signs of life. Prof. Anunay Choubey, a renowned teacher of English in the Patna University, the author of an authoritative dissertation on the American poet, Ezra Pound, and a gifted artist in his own rights, only recently (September 1999) has been named to head this intitution. And, we are delighted to report, he has accepted this responsibility. We wish Anunay Godspeed in this very important responsibility. Under his able leadership, we have no doubt, the former lustre will be restored to this august institution, and the traditions it represents will become vibrant again, in no time.
