The Exhibition of Madhubani Paintings, that starts in the capital from January 14th, documents the extraordinary evolution of an indigenous aesthetic tradition of women in the Mithila region of Bihar. Madhubani paintings have been done traditionally by the women of villages around the present town of Madhubani and other areas of Mithila.

The paintings were traditionally done on freshly plastered mud wall of huts, but now it is also done on cloth, paper and canvas. Madhubani paintings mostly depict nature and mythological events, and the themes generally revolve around Hindu deities like Krishna, Rama, etc.

Natural objects like the sun and the moon, and religious plants like tulsi are also widely painted, along side scenes from the royal courts and social events like weddings. Generally no empty space is left; the gaps are filled by paintings of flowers, animals, birds, and even geometric designs.

The Venue: Visual Arts Gallery & Open Palm Court Gallery, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi

The Dates: January 14th–26th, 2007

The Timings: 10am-8pm