Madhubani Art
Written by Sai Keertana Ganta
My name is Sai Keertana Ganta and I am currently a sophomore at North Creek High School in Bothell, WA, USA. Today I wanted to share and show you a few things about Madhubani. Madhubani is an ancient Indian art form that originated in Bihar, India. Madhubani was often painted and drawn on walls and floors in houses as a form of decoration. Through this art form, stories are told through pictures. Recently I got to teach our excellent group of Sai kids about the basics of Madhubani. I have been learning Madhubani since the age of 11. Now being 15 years old, Madhubani has taught me about how there is no need for words to portray a story. Getting the opportunity to teach Sai kids about an art form that I truly respect and appreciate was a great joy. I got to see the younger kids add their own creative twists to the basic elements that I was showing them. After just 30 minutes of basic introductions, the kids were rock stars and were ready to do a mini project that I had planned.
I watched them ask me if they were “allowed” to use a certain type of design on the bird that I had taught them to draw. That is one of the most important things in Madhubani. There are so many different intricate designs that go into a project. Starting from the most basic, there is kachni. Kachni is a design that consists of straight lines that are packed very closely together, but not touching. More designs as such compound to make a painting whole. I remember when I was just as young as these kids, the little girl I was back then, would never believe that her unsteady hands could do projects as big as she saw other students doing. I was very overwhelmed in the beginning and was constantly doubting if I were ever going to be as good as the other kids.
Throughout my journey of this art form, I learned that no two artists will ever be the same. Each has their own way of telling a story and bringing a different setting to each of their pieces. I too started with simple projects and then slowly transitioned and made my way on to bigger ideas and canvases. So far, I am on my 10th project. I have put in countless hours to try and put out the best outcome of an idea that I have had. I’ve also participated in many workshops and exhibitions. This helps the great community and people that are not so educated about Madhubani, gain information about the pure and deep roots that connect this art form to modern-day society. Currently, I am working on a project that portrays the Hindu god Narasimha. Madhubani is all about different Hindu gods and the different stories that can be shown. Overall, I’m very honored and privileged to be a part of Sai Kids activities where I can teach future generations! If you are interested in learning more, feel free to visit my teacher’s website: https://www.deeptidesigns.com/home