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Madhubani (Mithila) Painting Other Famous Murals
Madhubani is a district in the state of Bihar. In the 9th century Jain cave of Sittannavasal
Madhubani paintings is a folk painting which is in Tamil Nadu, there is a marvelous lotus pond
created entirely by hands, matchsticks, twig pen nibs painted on the ceiling. It is a scene of the faithful
and natural colors. The art of creating Madhubani gathering lotuses to place upon the resting place
paintings is also being called Mithila art due to its of a Tirthankara, a Jain saint. Elephants, buffalos,
root in the region. The most interesting fact about geese and fish frolic in the water, which is overflowing
these paintings is that originally it was made by with beautiful lotuses. The painter has used the
village dwelling women in Bihar. Impressions of these occasion to present a joyous world. He brings to us
paintings have been a part of Indian apparels for long. a sense of sublime happiness; as fish swim in the
waters, an elephant appears to smile, and gentle
men gather lotuses larger than themselves.
The monastery of Alchi (11 century) is an oasis of
th
Kerala Mural Painting beauty and colour in the midst of the vast and barren
The Kerala Mural painting are interlinked with the landscape of Ladakh. The dhoti of an Avalokitesvara
other art forms such as traditional wooden Sculpture, statue in of Alchi has some of the most gorgeous
Kalameghuthu (Floor paintings) Tholppakkoothu paintings. These are the only surviving visual
(Leather puppetry) Theyyam, Koodiyattam and representations of the culture and architecture of
Mohiniyattam. Ancient temples, churches and ancient Kashmir. One of the masterpieces of the
palaces in Kerala, display an abounding tradition of Alchi paintings is the Green Tara.
mural paintings mostly dating back between the 9
th
to 12 centuries CE when this form of art enjoyed
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Royal patronage.
The masterpieces of Kerala mural art include: the
Shiva Temple in Ettumanoor, the Ramayana murals
of Mattancherry Palace and Vadakkumnatha temple.
Some of the oldest, largest, and best executed
murals in Kerala are to be found in the churches
at Cheppad & Alappuzha. Five are the colours used
in traditional Kerala mural painting Red, yellow,
Green, Black and White of which except white
which is the wall itself, all the four pigments are to
be prepared taking raw materials from nature.
*The Chithrasutra
Since early times , the art and technique of painting were carefully
studied and put down in the Chithrasutra of the Vishnudharmottara
Purana. This was an oral tradition, which was recorded on paper
around the 5 century A.D. It is the oldest known treatise on paining in
th
the world. As always, according to the ancient Indian tradition in which
knowledge is considered sacred, this text is meant to be approached
with reverence.
The Chitrasutra gave a frame work of instruction and suggestions on
the ways to prepare the walls and surfaces that hold the murals; the
preparation of colours and paints; appropriate choice colours; different
ways of shading; proportions and ratio to be maintained while painting
different kinds of male and female figures according to their position and
occupation in the society.
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