Mithila Art Center

Mithila art, also known as Madhubani painting, represents one of the oldest living art traditions in the world, with origins tracing back to the 8th or 7th century BCE. According to legend, King Janaka of Mithila commissioned local artists to decorate the town of Janakpur with this unique art form for the wedding of his daughter Sita to Lord Rama—making it possibly the world's first wedding decoration tradition.

The art was traditionally created by women of various communities in the Mithila region, passed down through generations from mother to daughter. Originally painted on freshly plastered mud walls and floors of homes, the artwork featured natural dyes and pigments—ochre for reddish brown, lampblack for black—applied with fingers, twigs, brushes, nib-pens, and matchsticks.

Mithila paintings are characterized by eye-catching geometrical patterns and ritual content for occasions like birth, marriage, and festivals including Holi, Durga Puja, and Chhath. The artwork depicts people's association with nature, deities from ancient epics, natural objects like the sun and moon, religious plants like tulsi, royal court scenes, and social events. No space is left empty—gaps are filled with flowers, animals, birds, and geometric designs.

In the 1960s, Madhubani painters began painting on canvas and paper to generate income for women in the impoverished Mithila region. In the 1970s, German anthropologist Erika Moser challenged the notion that the art belonged only to high castes by encouraging Dalit women to create paintings inspired by their tattoos and house designs.

The Janakpur Women's Development Center (JWDC) now provides employment opportunities for about 40 Maithili women, producing paper paintings, boxes, screen-printed fabrics, and hand-thrown ceramics. The art has received Geographical Indication (GI) status, recognizing its unique cultural heritage. Today, Janakpur serves as the center for preservation and promotion of this ancient art form in Nepal.