Meet Dulari Devi who could not hold the pencil created history with the art of Mithila painting

Before painting, she used to go from house to house sweeping and mopping. This artist of Mithila painting never went to school. Despite not being educated, her proficiency in painting artistry is amazing. If we talk about reading and writing, then she can only write her signature and the name of her village. But, the art skills of the 54-year-old woman are discussed in the famous papers and magazines of the art world. Her fans also include the name of former President Late Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.

We are talking about 54-year-old Mithila painting artist Dulari Devi, a resident of Ranti village in the Madhubani district of Bihar. This year (in 2021) she will be honored with the Padma Shri for her brilliant talent. The struggle saga of Dulari Devi is a source of inspiration for every woman and those who succumb to the circumstances.

Dulari Devi, a resident of Ranti village of Rajnagar block of Madhubani district, was born in a very poor family of Mallah caste. Due to poverty, she could not read and write. At the age of only 12, her father got her married. That marriage lasted only for 7 years. She gave birth to a daughter, but she lived only for 6 months. After the sudden death of her daughter, she came to her maternal home and then stayed here. Because her husband had remarried with some other woman.

To earn her living, she started the work of sweeping and washing utensils in the nearby houses. At the same time, she also used to work as a laborer for threshing paddy in the rice fields.

Luck favored and Dulari Devi started doing domestic work at the house of eminent Mithila artist Padmashree Mahasundari Devi and her sister-in-law Karpoori Devi. When she saw both of them doing the art of beautiful painting at their home, she got excited to learn this art. She expressed her desire to learn this art from Mahasundari Devi, then she enrolled the name of Dulari Devi in a 1-month training program and there she learned to make lines, borders, sketches, etc.

She requested Karpoori Devi to teach her the intricate paintings of the art of Mithila painting. Karpoori Devi accepted her request and started teaching this art to Dulari Devi from her home without any discrimination.

During this time, in her free time, Dulari Devi started giving shape to her imagination by plastering her house courtyard with clay and making a wooden brush.

Dulari Devi registered at a local painting institute run by Gauri Mishra with the help of Karpoori Devi and worked there for 16 years at a salary of Rs 200 per month.

By getting the support of Karpoori Devi, she made a special identity in the field of Mithila painting. Dulari Devi has so far made 7000 Mithila paintings on various subjects.

Dulari Devi is proficient in both the 'Kachanhi' and 'Bharani' forms of Mithila art. Dulari Devi Paintings of traditional Ram- Sita paintings of the Mithila region, many contemporary subjects and social themes like child marriage, AIDS awareness, female foeticide, etc. Also, her daily routine, rural scenes, including trees, fields, animals, etc. Famous for her paintings. Also, she is an experienced painter who specialized in painting Ganesha images.

Dulari Devi trains young painters who come to Mithila Kala Sansthan and are impressed with the tools and resources that help them learn art better and faster with her. Affectionate and generous to all, Dulari Devi does not charge for her paintings of weddings in her village. She has received many accolades and recognitions for her decades of contribution to the field of Mithila art.

Dulari Devi has been awarded the State Award in 2012-13.

Gita Wolf's book 'Following My Paint Brush' and Martin Le Cause's book Mithila written in French contains Dulari's life story and artworks. Her painting has also found a place in the book named Satrangi. Her paintings were also selected for the cover page of the foundation course prepared in Maithili for IGNOU.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar specially invited Dulari Devi on the occasion of the inauguration of the Bihar Museum in Patna. There a painting made by him on the worship of the Kamla river has been given place.