Crafting Identity: The Social and Economic Transformation of Mithila Art

Abstract (English)

Mithila art is a colourful cultural heritage that started in Bihar, India. This art has immense religious and historical significance in India, as it began with the marriage of Mithilakumari or Sita to Lord Rama. The Mithila region depicts a vibrant and colourful art form that was traditionally done by women on the walls of mud huts and has since evolved into a craft depicting enormous social and material developments on a worldwide scale.

This study examines Mithila art through the lens of craft anthropology. It investigates the relationship between Mithila art and the economic and social fabric of society, as well as how the custom of passing down Mithila art from generation to generation defines the identity of people living in the Mithila Region. An art form that began to celebrate happiness by expressing inner hopes and dreams on the wall with colours that is now widely known around the world. This paper discusses the transition from community, ceremonial endeavours to paid and commercialised forms of Mithila art. It also investigates changes in the practice of making art. In terms of historical and ecological continuity, mud huts, handmade paper, cloths, and leather; natural pigmented colours, to current premade colours. Previously confined to domestic areas, craftsmen are increasingly accessing the global market, creating new narratives of empowerment and self-sustainability. Mithila art's evolution from a natural expression to a sociopolitical critique of activism, environmental issues, and women's rights demonstrates its value in fostering a shared consciousness.

The paper collects data through a combination of unstructured interviews and observation. This study demonstrates that, in addition to its artistic significance, Mithila painting has grown into an important tool for sociopolitical discourse, addressing problems like as women's rights, environmental protection, and folk storytelling. Women, in particular, have exploited their skills to gain social and economic independence, which has transformed the way creative self-expression functions as an empowerment tool.