(Riya Singh, Intern Journalist) Patna: Bihar shelters a rich history of art and culture. The splendor of Madhubani painting and Mithila painting are always singing worldwide but is that all we got? Through this article, we strive to unearth the beauty of one such art form, that remained forgotten for quite some time.
“Bihari ho? Bhojpuri bol kar dikhao?” Often times we Biharis are asked to demonstrate our Bhojpuri speaking skills. Bhojpuri is one of the representative languages of Bihar. But at the same time, Bhojpuri paintings are struggling to find a reputable place in this modern era.
Bhojpuri Painting
Today, we are talking about the rich past of Bhojpuri Paintings. The history of these paintings is even older than King Ashoka himself! It’s difficult to gauge the exact origin of this art form. Certain facts from the past make us believe that these paintings surfaced during the reign of King Ashoka. Bihar is always being under the major hotspot for education, culture, and power.
Bhojpuri painting has two major forms, namely Kohbar and Pidhiya. Khobar paintings depict love and gratification. These paintings are often related to the marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, which according to the Vedas was one of the most successful marriages of all time. They often portray Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, snakes, fishes, birds, and lotus plants. They also seem to believe that it brings good luck to a newlywed couple hence qualify as the perfect wedding gift!
Whereas on the other hand, Pidhiya is more about celebrating the sacred bond shared between siblings. Different styles of brushes are used to create such paintings. The detailing is astounding hence it takes enough effort to create these paintings.
The lost saga of Bhojpuri Paintings
Art has been paying for the livelihood of artists and the sharp decline in the popular art forms tends the other several artists to look for an alternative. In this digitalized world, art is slowly losing its beauty and succumbing to the digital world. We are forced to question the future of these age-old art forms. The recent popularity of Mithila Painting scintillated as a ray of hope for all these forgotten art forms.
With increased awareness about culture, people are now turning to their roots, and once again brushing up on the magnificence of the past. In a similar attempt, they are aiming to promote the lost glory of the Bhojpuri Paintings. The once famous art form now remains confined to alleys of the past. When you make a Google search for such paintings, only a few show up. And we’re getting forced to face our negligence.
The revival of Bhojpuri Paintings
In the recent few years, people are shouldering the responsibility to keep history alive. A similar group of people belonging to the Sarjana Nyas community is coming forward to increase awareness about the beauty of Bhojpuri paintings. Several protests were also breaking out when Mithila painting was chosen for the beautification of the Arrah station. People demanded taking to Bhojpuri paintings for further beautification of the walls of the station and also suggested that these paintings should be put up in waiting rooms and the exterior of the trains!
People started portraying Bhojpuri Painting on brightly colored cloth masks such as red, green, blue, and yellow. These masks are not only loved in India but are in high demand even overseas. It’s cheap price and beauty is a perfect mix! You can easily avail of these masks starting from 50 bucks.
Our negligent attitude towards these art forms has been unsettling in its own way but the recent efforts to restore its honor encourages us to do better. Let us come together and initiate a movement to promote the culture that represents us.
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