https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Much More than a Painting is at Stake Here

The world famous Madhubani paintings of Bihar, and the artists producing these exquisite pieces of art, have been hit hard by the coronavirus. But thankfully, IAS officer Ms Abhilasha Sharma has come out with innovative schemes to revive the art and help the artists.
Indian Masterminds Stories

During its brutal and unrelenting march of the last 12 months, leaving behind a long trail of death, destruction and failed businesses, Covid 19 caused havoc at both individual and national levels. One of its unsung victims in India has been the acclaimed Madhubani Art, or rather millions of practitioners of this art who derive their livelihood primarily from it. It’s as if coronavirus has taken a special pleasure in squeezing the last drop of joy from their lives.

Madhubani Painting: The Soul of Bihar 


Ms. Sharma took charge as DM Sitamarhi in 2019

Madhubani art as reflected mainly in its paintings is often referred to as the soul of Bihar, particularly of its Mithila region from where it originated many centuries ago and is now appreciated all over the globe. However, in the recent times, it’s popularity, charm and relevance had been on a down-slide. And Covid19 gave it the knock-out push to the mat.

But as the District Magistrate of Sitamarhi in Bihar, Ms Abhilasha Sharma has shown, all is still not lost for the art and the artists. She decided it was time to put the shine back on the Madhubani paintings and pull out the artists from their misery.

As a first initiative launched by Ms Sharma, all the `Sita temples’ of the district are being decorated with Madhubani paintings. Doing this, she is not only keeping intact the rich heritage but also providing fresh means of livelihood to the artists. 

In an interview with Indian Masterminds, the 2014-batch officer shared her future plan for reviving the Mithila Paintings. 

The Ramayana Connection

The unique Madhubani Art or Mithila painting was traditionally created by the women and it originated in the Madhubani region. It depicts the legends from Ramayana and other folklore. As Ms. Sharma said “This art form is way to communicate our rich heritage & culture. The artists associated with it take immense pride in earning their livelihoods by practicing the Mithila paintings. They keep experimenting with modern themes, which has helped to keep it relevant. When Covid-19 hit the country, they were the one suffering the most. So, we had to generate opportunities for them where they could earn their livelihood.”

Government and public places are also being decorated

Sitamarhi, as the name suggests, is believed to be the birth place of Goddess Sita. People here treats her like daughter, while Ram is taken for the son-in-law. Under the initiative, all the major Goddess Sita temples of the district, including `Punuara Dham’, are being decorated. Along with this, many government buildings and places of public importance will also be decorated. Mostly the paintings are depicting the childhood of Goddess Sita along with different stories of Ramayana. 

“The phase 1 of the project is completed. The artists have created around 6000 sq. ft of the paintings. The second phase of the project will be started very soon.,’’ said Ms Sharma

“Always felt connected with this art” 

Ms. Sharma comes from Navada district of Bihar. Earlier, she was not much exposed with the Mithila art. In the beginning of her career she was posted as the Assistant Collector Darbhanga and SDM, Madhubani.  She recalled, “During those years, I explore this enriched art. I always felt love and connection with these paintings. I consider myself fortunate to be able to work closely with the artists. After the migrant movement started due to covid-19, we were doing skill identification and development programs to help the workers earn their livelihood. It was then that we thought of experimenting with Mithila paintings in the temples for creating the job opportunities for the artists. We set up a team, supported by handicraft department, and started this initiative,” 

These are the first few welcome steps being taken for the beleaguered artists of Mithila region. Ms. Sharma is now working on to provide an online platforms to that artists, where they will have better chances of growth. 


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
BPCL_resized
BPCL’s Sanjay Khanna Conferred with “TITAN - Refining Innovation Award” for Pioneering Excellence in HSE and Refining
Vartika Shukla CMD of EIL (1)
Vartika Shukla, CMD of EIL, Honored with Women’s Leadership Award at IOGTC 2025 - Know About Her
Judiciary_india
Karnataka Bar Council Urges Supreme Court Collegium to Reconsider Transfer of Four High Court Judges
NTPC Green Energy Ltd NGEL
NTPC Green Board to Consider Rs 5,000 Crore Bond Issue in FY26
Govt
5 Officers Reshuffled in Uttarakhand Secretariat
Indian Oil IOCL
Indian Oil to Invest Rs. 24,000 Crore in Gujarat for Refinery Expansion and Petrochemical Projects
IFS Indian Forest Service resized (IFoS)
14 IFS and 6 State Forest Service Officers Transferred in Madhya Pradesh, HU Khan Made CF&CEO (CAMPA) at HQ, Bhopal
Concor and gail MoU
CONCOR and GAIL Sign MoU to Promote Clean Fuel and Green Logistics
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Aditya Vikram Agarwal
The Shouts of Joy Were Real: Aditya’s UPSC Rank 9 Was a Family Celebration
Dr Lokesh M IAS
E-Rickshaw Chaos, Waterlogging, Traffic Mess — Can Noida Fix Its Daily Chaos? | Exclusive with Dr Lokesh M, IAS
IRS Padmapani Bora UPSC
IRS Padmapani Bora’s 16-Year-Long Journey in Governance
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Aditya Vikram Agarwal
The Shouts of Joy Were Real: Aditya’s UPSC Rank 9 Was a Family Celebration
“UPSC is not the only path. If you are in any field… UPSC is not the only way to serve the nation. Be...
Raj Krishna Jha UPSC
Managing Study with a Full-Time Job, 4 Failures, & a Dream: UPSC Topper Raj Krishna Jha's Journey | Exclusive
From repeated failures to AIR 8, Raj Krishna Jha’s UPSC success proves that perseverance and strategic...
Utkarsh Yadav UPSC Rajasthan
Brother of Dausa DM Cracks UPSC with AIR 32: Utkarsh Yadav’s Inspiring Journey from Hamindpur to IAS
Utkarsh Yadav, an IIT Roorkee graduate from rural Rajasthan, secured AIR 32 in UPSC 2024 after three...
Social Media
GozJlgrXYAAHoKv
Murals for Cleanliness: Thoothukudi District Launches Art-Inspired Sanitation Drive in Panchayats
Local artists add colour and messages to village walls, promoting hygiene and community pride
Himanshu Nagpal IAS
Varanasi's Beggar Rehabilitation Initiative Recognised by UIDAI, CDO Himanshu Nagpal Shares the News
Mr. Himanshu Nagpal is a 2019-batch IAS officer
IAS Vaishali Chopra
Young IAS Vaishali Chopra Takes a Stand Against Caste Bias During Field Training in Uttar Pradesh
While the issue itself may seem small, the post is resonating widely online for its honest reflection...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
BPCL_resized
BPCL’s Sanjay Khanna Conferred with “TITAN - Refining Innovation Award” for Pioneering Excellence in HSE and Refining
Vartika Shukla CMD of EIL (1)
Vartika Shukla, CMD of EIL, Honored with Women’s Leadership Award at IOGTC 2025 - Know About Her
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Aditya Vikram Agarwal
Dr Lokesh M IAS
IRS Padmapani Bora UPSC
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT