RITUALS

            Rituals and Ceremonies plays a huge role in Indian culture and if you are an Indian then you’ll surely agree with me on this thing, isn’t it? Madhubani paintings are mainly practiced by the rural women, who painted on the walls and floor of their house during social events like marriage, sacred thread ceremony of the Brahmins, childbirth and other religious and ritualistic occasions to enhance its greatness.

            The paintings relate to various rites from birth to death. However special and specific types of paintings are done specially during marriage. During wedding, the paintings of the sun and the moon, a bamboo tree, a circle of lotuses, parrots, turtle and fish come into prominence. The walls of the wedding chamber ( Kohbar ghar) are adorned with symbolic paintings symbolizing fertility and life. The walls of Kohbar ghar are mainly painted with the symbols of lotus, bamboo grove, fish, birds and snakes in union, which largely symbolizes fertility and life. Each image has its own significance- birds (especially parrots) symbolize the love birds, turtle diagrammatize the lovers union and fishes the emblems of fertility and the sun and moon symbolize the life-giving qualities. Thus the role of the Kohbar in Maithili marriage becomes quite important.

            Apart from Kohbar which is only done during marriage, different other types of paintings are done for different other rituals. For festivals like Chhath and Chauth Chand, Tulsi puja, Durga puja etc, a unique type of painting called ‘Aripan’ means alpana is drawn. Among the people of Mithila there is a ritual to draw alpana during auspicious occasions.  It is mainly drawn using Arwa rice or Atap rice and in this painting, no brushes are employed, the drawing is usually done through nimble finger. Different designs are drawn for different occasions-

Swastik- Swastik is a special type of alpana which is drawn during any auspicious festival. However one can mainly see the use of Swastik during the worshipping Lord Ganesha.

Daspata- This is again another type of alpana drawn during the occasion of Bhaiduj. This is mainly drawn at the courtyard of the house and a Chauki is being put in front of the alpana where the brother is made to sit on it and then the ritual is carried.

Astadal-It is being drawn during worshipping Lord Vishnu or Satyanarayan. It is observed on the ekadashi day. Footprints of Lord Vishnu are being drawn at the centre of the alpana which remains surrounded by eight kinds of weapons used by the God.

Sarbatbhadra-This is also special kind of alpana drawn at the place of worshipping Lord Vishnu.

            Thus, it can be concluded by saying that Madhubani paintings have much inner meanings and also that they plays a great role in the rituals and ceremonies of the Mithila people.