A Life in Line and Colour

Mithila painting — also called Madhubani — originates in the Mithila region of Bihar, India. For centuries it was drawn by women on the walls of homes during festivals and rites of passage.

The vocabulary of motifs — fish, lotus, sun, peacock, the divine couple — carries cosmological meaning passed down through generations. Each line is intentional; no space is left empty.

Priya Jha learned the tradition from her grandmother in Madhubani district. Her work honours that lineage while opening it to new collectors worldwide.