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Walk into a village in Mithila before a wedding and you may see women painting the walls of the kohbar (the bridal chamber) with lotuses, bamboo, fish, parrots and gods — images that carry wishes for fertility, love and long life. These paintings, now known worldwide as Madhubani or Mithila painting, are one of Bihar's great cultural gifts. They sit within a much larger cultural world — of crafts, songs, dances, festivals and food — that BPSC examines regularly.
Painting traditions
Madhubani (Mithila) painting
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Region | Mithila — Madhubani, Darbhanga and neighbouring districts |
| Tradition | Painted by women on walls and floors for rituals, festivals and weddings |
| Themes | Gods and goddesses (Krishna, Rama–Sita, Durga), nature (fish, birds, lotus, bamboo), the kohbar |
| Styles | Bharni (filled with colour), Kachni (fine lines), Tantrik, Godna (tattoo-inspired), Kohbar |
| Colours | Traditionally natural colours; painted with twigs, fingers, nib-pens |
| Transition to paper | During the drought of the late 1960s, the All India Handicrafts Board encouraged women to paint on paper for sale, providing income and bringing the art to the world |
| Recognition | GI tag; several artists received national awards and Padma honours — Jagdamba Devi, Sita Devi, Ganga Devi, Mahasundari Devi and others |
Other painting traditions
| Tradition | Region | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Manjusha art | Bhagalpur (Anga) | Linked to the legend of Bihula–Bishahari (the snake goddess); painted on box-like temple structures (manjusha); limited colours (pink, green, yellow) |
| Patna Kalam | Patna | Company-period painting of everyday life (see our guide on Company rule) |
| Tikuli art | Patna | Originally decorative bindis; now painted on hardboard with enamel colours |
Crafts
| Craft | Region | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Sujani embroidery | Muzaffarpur (Bhusura) | Layered cloth quilts with running stitch embroidery telling stories; GI-tagged |
| Sikki grass craft | Mithila | Baskets and figures woven from golden sikki grass; GI-tagged |
| Bhagalpuri silk (Tussar) | Bhagalpur | "Silk City"; GI-tagged |
| Applique (khatwa) | Patna and elsewhere | Cut-cloth decoration |
| Stone craft | Gaya (Pathalkatti) | Stone carving |
| Bawan Buti | Nalanda (Basawan Bigha) | Handloom weaving with 52 motifs |
Performing arts
Folk music and theatre
- Bidesia — a Bhojpuri folk theatre created by Bhikhari Thakur (often called the "Shakespeare of Bhojpuri"). It depicts the pain of migration — the husband who goes away to earn and the wife left behind — and social issues such as the sale of daughters. It remains strikingly relevant to Bihar.
- Kajari, Chaiti, Sohar, Birha — seasonal and life-cycle songs.
- Sharda Sinha is among the best-known singers of Bihar's folk and Chhath songs.
Folk dances
| Dance | Region / occasion |
|---|---|
| Jat-Jatin | Mithila; performed by women; the story of a separated couple |
| Jhijhiya | Mithila; women dance with lamps in pots on their heads, praying for rain and protection |
| Domkach | Performed by women at weddings |
| Paika | Martial dance |
| Launda naach | Folk performance in which men perform female roles |
Classical music
- Dhrupad — the Darbhanga gharana, associated with the Mallick family, and the Bettiah gharana, two of the oldest dhrupad traditions.
- Ustad Bismillah Khan, the shehnai maestro and Bharat Ratna (2001), was born in Dumraon (Buxar district), Bihar, in 1916.
Festivals
Chhath
- A festival dedicated to the Sun God (Surya) and Chhathi Maiya, celebrated over four days — most prominently in Kartik (after Diwali), and also in Chaitra.
- Rituals: Nahay-Khay, Kharna, the evening offering (sandhya arghya) to the setting sun and the morning offering (usha arghya) to the rising sun, standing in rivers or ponds.
- Known for its purity, community cleaning of ghats, absence of priests in the central rituals, and participation across caste and class.
- Now celebrated wherever Biharis live — in Delhi, Mumbai, and abroad.
Other festivals and fairs
| Festival / fair | Details |
|---|---|
| Sama-Chakeva | Mithila; celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters, with clay figures of birds, in Kartik |
| Sonepur Mela | At Harihar Kshetra (Sonepur), at the confluence of the Gandak and the Ganga, around Kartik Purnima; historically one of Asia's largest cattle fairs |
| Pitrapaksha Mela | Gaya; rituals (pind daan) for ancestors |
| Rajgir Mahotsav | Cultural festival at Rajgir |
| Bihula | Anga region; the Bihula–Bishahari legend |
| Jitiya | Mothers fast for their children |
Food
Litti-chokha (baked wheat balls stuffed with sattu, with mashed vegetables), sattu drinks, thekua (Chhath offering), khaja (of Silao, GI-tagged), tilkut (of Gaya), anarsa, makhana preparations and Shahi litchi.
GI-tagged products of Bihar (selected)
- Madhubani painting; Sujani embroidery; Sikki grass products; Bhagalpuri silk; Applique (khatwa) work.
- Shahi litchi (Muzaffarpur); Mithila makhana; Katarni rice (Bhagalpur); Jardalu mango (Bhagalpur); Magahi paan; Silao khaja.
Practice
Prelims-style:
- Name the five styles of Madhubani painting.
- Which legend is associated with Manjusha art?
- Who created Bidesia?
- Where was Ustad Bismillah Khan born?
- Where is the Sonepur Mela held?
Mains-style:
- "Bihar's folk traditions are a mirror of its social history." Discuss with reference to Madhubani painting and Bidesia.
- Examine the role of GI tags in preserving and promoting Bihar's crafts.
A note on dates and numbers. Exam patterns, vacancies and schedules change from year to year. Always confirm the current details in the latest notification on the Bihar Public Service Commission website .
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