Mithila paintings are being made for Vivah Panchami

By Laxmi Chaudhary,Janakpurdham, Nov. 29: Artists are busy creating traditional Mithila arts and paintings on the walls of Janakpurdham for the Vivah Panchami festival. 

These paintings commemorate the wedding of Lord Ram and Sita during the Treta Yug and are created as part of the week-long grand celebration of Vivah Panchami held annually in Janakpurdham.

The excitement of Vivah Panchami has added a new vibrancy to the soil, traditions and art of Mithila. 

Alongside the cleaning of roads and public spaces, the walls of Janakpurdham are being decorated with colourful Mithila paintings. 

The provincial government is also using the outer walls of its ministries to depict scenes from the Ramayana through Mithila art. 

Each painting vividly reflects the essence of Ram and Sita’s wedding from the Treta Yug.

This festival showcases cultural beauty and religious devotion. 

Poonam Jha, a Mithila artist deeply engrossed in creating these paintings, said, “Depicting the Ramayana through Mithila paintings makes us feel like the residents of Mithila during the Treta Yug, celebrating with Lord Ram. It’s a privilege to contribute to the occasion by portraying the Ramayana story for Vivah Panchami.”

She further added, “Although I have created numerous paintings before, Vivah Panchami's paintings fill me with immense joy.”

 She dreams of sharing the artistic essence of Mithila and the vibrant festivities of Vivah Panchami with the world through her artistic creations. 

The women creating these artworks are not just artists but custodians of cultural identity.

They narrate the story of the Ramayana, showcasing pivotal moments such as Sita emerging from the earth while King Janak ploughed the field, her swayamvar (engagement) with Lord Ram, and her eventual journey to exile.