‘Hunar Hatt’, the traditional occupation of art and culture walked through by Padma Shri holder Govind Kumar Jha

‘A craft hut is a blend of traditional occupations, environment, culture, and development.’ – Govind Kumar Jha, Boua Devi’s 25-year-old grandson, was awarded the Padma Shri in 2017 for his efforts to conserve both nature and culture, as well as art and skill.

Jha has participated in eight ‘hunar hatts’ and two international exhibitions. “For years, 25 members of the family have been working in the traditional business, inspired by their grandmother’s painting.” Govind Kumar Jha, a native of Mithlanchal, explained. 

Janakpuri, Janaki’s (Sita’s) birthplace, is now known as Mithlanchal, according to mythology. The paintings are based on legendary events involving Lord Krishna, Shiva, Rama, Goddess Saraswati, and Lakshmi. Plant leaves and other natural materials get utilised to create vibrant colours, which are used for the painting.

“My mother Navita Zai first displayed Mithila paintings at the Sikki Craft and International Art Festival in 1986,” he remarked. He was connected with several social groups aimed at financially empowering children and women while also promoting their art. Through the Bhagwati SHG organization in the Darbhanga area of Bihar, he offered underprivileged women coin crafts, saris, t-shirts, and wall mithila.

The Ministry of Minority Affairs program, which aims to promote ‘Vocal for Local,’ plays a significant role. However, it is difficult to live just via art. During the pandemic days, artists that make a living from their craft, this was a particularly difficult period. He penned a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the time, urging people to buy masks with ‘Madhubani‘ paintings.Later, in the ‘Mann Ki Baat’ program, the Prime Minister urged the citizens to purchase a mask featuring ‘Madhubani‘ paintings. “This has helped us re-establish our business and made life easier for many other families. For this, I, and many other artists, are grateful for the government’s thoughtful judgements and initiatives. We are proud to achieve development with art”, states Govind Kumar Jha. 

Written by:
Shristi Chatterjee