Madhubani Painting

I am full of happy, dancing lines. Can you see them? Look at my bright, bright colors that shine like the sun. I have little fish that swim in blue rivers and pretty birds that fly in a happy sky. Flowers bloom all over me, making a beautiful, colorful garden just for you. I am a happy secret, painted with joy and sunshine. My lines wiggle and my colors sing a happy song. I love to make people smile when they look at me. I am a Madhubani Painting from India. It is so nice to meet you.

A very, very long time ago, I was born in a special place in India called Mithila. The wonderful women there made me. They are my creators. They didn't use big paintbrushes like you might see. They used their own fingers to draw my happy lines. They used tiny twigs from trees and little matchsticks to make my shapes just right. Everything about me comes from love. My colors are a gift from nature. My sunshine yellow comes from a spice called turmeric. My bright red comes from pretty flowers. My lovely green comes from soft leaves. The women painted me on the walls of their homes for happy parties, like when people get married. I was a special gift to bring good luck and lots of smiles to everyone in the house.

For a long, long time, I was a happy secret just for the homes in Mithila. I stayed on the walls and watched families celebrate. Then, in a time called the 1960s, the clever women had a wonderful idea. They started to paint me on paper. Now I could travel. I could go on big adventures. I went all over the world to meet new friends just like you. Today, I hang in homes far away, sharing the beautiful stories of the women who imagined me. I am a little piece of happiness, reminding everyone that art made with love connects us all.