There is no room for imagination now; it is killing all personality of Madhubhani paintings

A cotton leaf tied to the end of a twig is their brush; for paint, they use burnt jowar, coal, turmeric, kusum and green leaves mixed with oil or water.

It is with these that the women folk of Mithila creates the world-renowned Madhubhani paintings. Yes, it is these earthy accoutrements that delineate the epics, and make Sita, Ram, Lakshman, Janak and other mythological figures come alive on paper and wall.

But sadly, this traditional art from Bihar's Mithila region which has gained acceptance worldwide, is probably the most ignored one in the country. The best proof is the absence of even a single gallery here for popularising it. And that, when foreign countries -- the Japanese government, for instance -- are setting up museums exclusively for Mithila painters.

"Apart from setting up an institute to train budding artistes, there has been no encouragement from the government," says Vimla Dutta, a painter from Madhubani district:, "We get only Rs 1,500 a month, which is not even sufficient to purchase the needed materials."

The popularity of the paintings has brought with it a consequence -- it has led to the artists' being exploited by middlemen. As the paintings are essentially a preserve of the women folk -- and uneducated rural women, at that -- they are greatly dependent on middlemen. More often than not, it is these unscrupulous brokers who make hefty profits. And economic and social reasons make it impossible for the artists to get out of their clutches.

"Sometimes the middlemen even decide the subjects for us. We have no option but to provide them what they order," complains Vimla Dutta, "There is no room for the artists imagination now... it is killing all personality from our paintings."

The Madhubhani art, which has been in existence for centuries now, received royal patronage during the 14th century. The paintings, essentially nurtured on lyrics of Vidyapati, a 14th century poet who sang sensuous songs about Lord Krishna's love for Radha, also draw themes from the Bhagavat Purana and Ramayana .

The paintings are usually prominently displayed in the puja room, or the kohbar -- the room where a newly married couple spend their first night.

For the Mithila women, their art is a community activity, and the legacy is passed down for centuries from mother to daughter.

UNI