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One of Bihar’s oldest railway stations — and frequently counted among the dirtiest — has been given a new life by an ancient art form. Thanks to local artisans, Madhubani station now dons what is arguably one of the largest depictions of Madhubani (also known as Maithili) paintings.
The makeover of the station, under the East Central zone of Indian Railways, saw a 14,000 sqft wall area covered in a riot of colours. The new look prompted Bindeshwar Pathak, ambassador of Swachh Rail Mission and founder of Sulabh International, to declare Madhubani “the cleanest” station in the country.
More than 200 artists worked for over two months to complete the beautification project. Unsurprisingly, 80 per cent of them were women — traditionally, Madhubani art has been practised by the women of Mithila, a region that spills across the border into Nepal. Work began on October 2, 2017. The equipment and the colours came from the authorities, while the artists donated the labour — in other words, they worked without remuneration. The result is there for everyone to see — every nook and cranny comes alive with a stunning range of motifs and figures — women performing household chores, wedding processions, fish and underwater plants, girls playing under a tree, mythological figures and more. Some of the paintings bear simple captions in Hindi — for instance, ‘Tyre chalata hua bachha’ (child playing with tyre). They also sport the name/s of the artist/s.
Madhubani artists typically use fingers, twigs, brushes, nib-pens and matchsticks to create designs with natural dyes and pigments. These skills are handed down from one generation to the next. Madhubani art — which boasts the coveted GI (Geographical Indication) tag — once adorned walls and floors of houses. Today they are painted on cloth, canvas and handmade paper.
Rajeev Tyagi is a Delhi-based photojournalist
One of a kind: Native to the Maithili region of Nepal and Bihar, Madhubani paintings have the coveted GI tag
Community pride: Created by local artisans for free, the frescoes at the Madhubani station took two months to complete
Five high: Bharni, Katchni, Tantrik, Godna and Kohbar are the five styles of Madhubani art
Grand makeover: The beautification project covered a nearly 14,000 sqft wall area
Art as commentary: Madhubani paintings have adapted to the changing world with contemporary themes and motifs
Everyday stories: Practised mostly by women, Madhubani art depicts scenes from everyday life, or illustrate humankind’s connection with nature
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