Bihar's Mithila painting struggles amid eroding local political backing

Despite global acclaim, Bihar's traditional painting cries for help amid eroding local political backing. Aashish Aryan reports from Darbhanga

For an art form rediscovered by English officer William G Archer and his wife, Mildred Archer, following the devastating Nepal–Bihar earthquake of 1934, the Madhubani or Mithila painting has travelled far beyond the borders of Bihar over the past nine decades.

 

Practised mainly by women trained by other women, often their mothers or mothers-in-law, this labour-intensive art form takes pride in packing as many intricate details as possible onto a single canvas.

 

The painting style has found ardent admirers, including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who wore a saree adorned with Mithila paintings while presenting the Union Budget for 2025-26.

 

However,