Sangeeta Thapa
The ancient and vast Mithila Kingdom lies in the Southern plains of Nepal and was surrounded by the Ganges River to the South, the Gandak River to the West, the Koshi to the East , the Himalayas to the North, and whose territory extends to present-day Bihar, India. The Nepali city of Janakpur was the capital of this ancient Videha Kingdom which dates back to 8th-6th century BCE. Vedic texts describe the Kingdom as cultural and intellectual centre. The epic Ramayana makes mention of this area as King Janak and his daughter Sita – the consort of Lord Rama, hailed from this great kingdom. Today Janakpur is still the epicenter of Maithili culture in Nepal.
For over three thousand years, the genre of Mithila painting has remained within the bastion of its womenfolk, who inherited their traditions, skills, technical knowledge, and expertise from their mothers or grandmothers. Traditionally three castes are associated with Mithila art – Brahmin, Kayastha and Dusaadh. Though Mithila art forms vary from caste to caste, the art forms that emanate from this region are associated with religious ceremonies and local rituals. Their art was an integral part of their domestic day-to-day rituals. Mithila women have drawn on the walls of their humble abodes and made aripans on their mud floors to avert natural disasters, protect their crops, and pray for the well-being of their husbands and children. Housewives fashioned images out of clay, mud, and cow dung of Hindu Gods for worship on diverse occasions, when they observed fasts for the prosperity and longevity of their family members. Dr. Ram Dayal Rakesh, a Nepali expert on Mithila Art of Nepal writes that Mithila art is inseparable from religion and that the Mithila artist still ‘dedicates her talent and skill to God, meditating long before transforming a spiritual aesthetic vision onto a mud wall. However, these wall paintings have always been impermanent, as the annual monsoon torpor destroys the painted images and a fresh mixture of mud and cow dung is applied over the old images to provide a fresh surface for new paintings,which are in keeping with the festivities.
The Great Earthquake of Bihar in 1934 caused much destruction in both India and Nepal. Interestingly the destruction in India brought Maithili art to the public gaze for the very first time. Today the winds of change have brought about a transformation in the lifestyle of rural and indigenous folk in both India and Nepal. This change has challenged the artistic and cultural moorings of the Mithila cosmos. However, It is interesting to note that the mud walls, courtyards, textiles, household objects, paintings, and handicrafts, still rest upon the age-old repertoire of ornamental patterns and designs, motifs, symbols, and themes.
In Nepal, the practice of painting on paper is a recent phenomenon, which was introduced by Claire Burkert who established the Janakpur Women’s Development Center (JWDC) in 1990. From this historic moment, the artistic motifs used by Mithila women were transferred onto a new medium – paper. The Janakpur Women’s Development Center was established to promote the inherent skills of these women, uplift their lives through the sales of their beautiful artworks, and introduce Mithila expression to the rest of the world. Today Mithila art in Nepal has taken a direction of its own and is a source of inspiration for national
and international artists.
Inspired by the artworks created at the Jankapur Women’s Development Center, the fine Madhubani paintings of Bihar, the Worli paintings of Madhya Pradesh along with the local Tharu and Rajbanshi imagery, SC Suman is both an oddity and an icon, as he has gone, against the tide and established his name as one of the finest painters in this genre. Though he trained as a textile designer in Bombay, he returned to his roots and began to paint in the Mithila tradition, stating that he did not believe that the issue of gender should restrict the innate creativity of an artist. SC Sumar crafts his own painting tools and prepares his own colors. He also uses acrylic and oils with equipoise on Nepali paper, linen, and silk. In 1991, he was the first artist to exhibit his Mithila paintings and that too in his hometown Biratnagar
The artist S.C. Suman, who hails from Siraha, is a Kayastha. The Kayastha women of the Mithila region have traditionally been engaged with this art from time immemorial. SC Suman learnt to make ritual aripans or floor mandalas, for the various festivals and pujas from his grandmother in their family home. Suman recalls that his grandmother would grind rice with some water into a paste called pithar and use this mixture to make the delicate patterns on the mud
floor and in the goshai ghar or prayer room each day. These intricate, ornamental and profoundly symbolic patterns would be incomplete without adding the final touches with abir, sindoor, and kesari powder. His early paintings or recreation of these aripans on paper, are indicative of his desire to understand the complexity of aripan making and visualizing how they could be aborbed into his creative process.
Suman remembers helping his grandmother make wall paintings or bhitti chitras and waiting for the right season to gather flowers, creepers, herbs, and leaves that would be ground and distilled to make the natural pigments for the paintings The stem of the parijat flower, bougainvillea, pulp of the bel fruit, oil, milk, and turmeric would be used to make organic pigments. Mud, cow dung, and certain grasses were used as earth tones for the paintings – kajol and soot would be coated onto fine hand-hewn bamboo sticks with which his grandmother would draw the fine images of their spiritual and natural cosmos. No other art form in Nepal shares such a close affinity to nature and celebrates the holistic involvement of all the senses sight, sound, smell,touch, and taste.
Rural art forms are an indelible link between artistic output and nature. Suman’s paintings reflect images of a myriad of plants and life forms of the Terai which encapsulate a host of meanings: lotus (seat of the unblemished and pure feminine form), bamboo (lineage, roots, male form), kadamba tree (love) fishes and crocodiles (fertility), turtles (lover’s reunion and stability). parrots (teacher, intelligence), peacocks (beauty), elephants (wealth and prosperity), tigers (power associated with the Goddess), snakes (associated with Shiva for protection and the ultimate union), fishes and crocodiles (fertility), sun, moon and the nine planets (power of nature). Ravindra Kumar and Anupama Sirivastav write that Mithila women believed the Sun had the power to “fertilize ond impregnate, while the Moon was regarded as the heavenly source of amrit or nectar, thus symbolizing life and giving qualities.
In 2007, SC Suman held a successful exhibition at the Siddhartha Art Gallery. Entitled Mithila Cosmos, this exhibition brought attention to the enduring iconography of the Mithila Kingdom. In 2011, his exhibition Mithila Cosmos II- New Narratives, included both traditional forms and a body of work that was socio-political in content, thus demonstrating how the Mithila gaze reads the world today. Suman believes that traditional art can become dynamic and robust when it embraces contemporary issues. His exhibition Mithila Cosmos–Circumambulating the Tree of Life in 2014- was inspired by nature and the symbolism of the tree which is a recurring motif in Mithila art, poetry, and folk songs. Suman makes a reference to a 700-year- Mithila song written by celebrated Mithila poet and polymath Kokila Vidyapati, which celebrates the love story of Radha and Krishna. This song which is still sung at weddings, elucidates the Mithila realms deep connection to nature and ecology.
The concept of a sacred Kalpavrikshya or Tree of Life is present in most cultures. Jasleen Dhamija, an Indian writer and expert on the arts and crafts of India elaborates that the significance of the tree of life “transcends conscious reality, touching the subconscious and beyond. Even if the original meaning is obscured, the symbol retains an unconscious link with our primeval memory and becomes a source of strength. Its roots plunge deep into the three worlds: its branches reach upwards towards heaven and support it. The trunk is the means of ascending upwards and reaching beyond, thereby connecting three worlds. The presence of a tree signifies water, growth, and fecundity”. Specific trees and flowers are objects of worship and are sacred: kadamaba, pipal, baar, banyan, sandalwood, rudrakshya, parijat, mango, and mahua tree. In Mithila culture, it is taboo to cut these trees, as their very being is associated with myths and gods; hence the custom of offering libations to them. Married women still conduct the Batasavitri puja, or the tulsi hom as it is believed that these pujas add longevity to the lives of their husbands. Even today young men and women from the Mithila culture get married to both the mango and mahua tree before they are formally married to their betrothed. It is interesting to note that these species of trees were and are still regarded as Kalpavrikshya or sacred wish-granting trees.
In 2016, this wish-granting tree became the focus of Suman’s narrative. The Artist paid tribute to nature with his work as these trees, flowers, and fruits were traditionally awarded a special status due to the beauty and fragrance of their blossoms which were offered during ritual ceremonies. There is also no doubt that the medicinal, nutritional, and ecological value of these trees and plants was understood from ancient times. In the series Kalpavriksha, Suman drew inspiration from an artistic and literary theme common to the Hindu, Buddhists and Jain faiths. His paintings are therefore a continuous exploration of a deeply rooted relationship with nature. His intricate and detailed trees are heavy with luscious ripe mangoes, symbolic of sexual yearning and fulfillment, while some bear imaginary medallions of desire. Suman painted birds perched on trees, partaking in its abundance and seeking refuge in its leafy bower. He drew beasts such as the elephants and deer that come to the forests for sustenance and for shelter. He painted wedding processions, men and women celebrating Chhat, and a multitude of festivals in which the Kalpavriksha tree is a focal point of a Mithila cosmos, where a lascivious Sun looks on at bathing women, while in others, the fleeting desires of man, animal, and bird are nurtured in Suman’s forests, glades, and groves. In his 2016 exhibition, SC Suman incorporated images from indigenous Mushahar, Jhaangar, Dhimal, Sataar, and Tharu communities of the Tarai in his paintings. The Bhitti Chitra or Mokha (mul-dwaar or main gate) paintings that embellish the façade of a Tharu home with decorative elements around the main gate and windows also found expression in the Salahesh Lok-katha series and is another example of how the artist has included Dusaadh elements in his recent work.
The pantheon of the Hindu Gods: Krishna and Durga were also depicted in SC Suman’s new series. Apart from these sacrosanct visual narratives, the cycle of the seasons, fairs and dances, fertility rites, folk and tribal lore, marriage, other ritual ceremonies, and cultural activities associated with the annual festivals based on the cycles of the moon and sun are themes that Mithila women immortalized in their paintings. Some of the enduring Images of Mithila art include agrarian village scenes and village activities. Suman is well versed in these visual narratives. The artist also pays attention to the jewelry of the women and the tattoos or godhana that Mithila women have on their bodies. In some of the paintings the artist focuses on embroidered motifs, fine needlework, and quilting stitches which become motifs that embody the Mithila narrative. The Great Earthquake of 2015 that devastated Nepal, also found expression in this series. Titled Rebuild Nepal, the triptych expressed the pain felt by the artist and the people of Madhesh over the death and destruction caused by the earthquake across the country. His works mourn the loss of an ancient heritage that drew Mithila Kings, sages and pilgrims to Kathmandu Valley. Suman also portrayed the humanitarian relief provided by Madhesh to those affected by the earthquake. Kalpavriksha – the Wish Granting Tree – drew home the point that the very passage of life in the Mithila Cosmas is very deeply rooted in rituals that pay obeisance to nature. This reverence can be interpreted as the collective wisdom of the Mithila people who understood the importance of establishing and maintaining ecological balance and harmony in their very cosmos or world. This ecological balance is a source of inspiration for Mithila and traditional Paubha artists.
Suman’s oeuvre Mithila Cosmos: The Story of Cyclical Time in 2021, explored the story of creation and the flux of human destiny viewed through the ancient Hindu chronology and reading of time. He leads us to a time when the universe itself was in flux when the Gods (devas) and the Demons (asuras) coexisted in a great cosmic balance are now at war with each other and threaten the position of the Gods. The final battle between these forces of good represented by the Devas and evil represented the Asuras was a competition to gain the elixir of immortality or amrit by churning the ocean’s milky waters with Mount Mandara as the churning rod and Vasuki Naga (the serpent that coils around Shiva’s neck), as a rope. Though the battle was tough, the Gods emerge victorious in the end. The churning of the oceans also resulted in many treasures being borne from its very waters: Goddess Lakshmi, the Kamdhenu Cow, and the Kalpavriksha tree.
Suman presented us with a familiar image of Goddess Laxmi at the feet of Lord Vishnu afloat on the ocean, seated on a bed of coiled serpents that raise their multiple reptilian heads to provide protection to this divine couple as Brahma (the Creator within the Trimurti that includes Vishnu and Shiva) looks on. This cosmic ocean is after all the source from where all life emanates and the artist tums to the ancient Hindu texts to explore and interpret the story of creation which begins when Shakti (female energy) first separates from Shiva (male energy) in a state of differentiated potential and then merges in a sexual union that gives birth to life. The artist reminds us that Shakti has many benign avatars but when she manifests as Kali she represents the wrathful and bloodthirsty side of the Goddess Devi who wields power to destroy the evils of the world. Out of destruction comes creation which is the intrinsic cyclical reality of nature itself.
The artist created his own visual interpretation of the four cyclical yugas or ages (satya yuga, treto yuga, dvapara yuga, and kall yuga) which are described in great detail in Hindu cosmology. These predetermined periods specify the fate of dharma, how the greed of mankind in each of these great cycles creates monumental ruptures that affect the balance of nature, the ecology, the socio-political state of the world, and humanity itself. The last period in this cycle is Kaliyuga which represents the total degeneration of dharma and mankind. To escape this cycle of depravity and degeneration, divine intervention is required, and the Gods need to manifest themselves in different avatars to defeat the forces of evil and restore balance in the world. In this dark period of bloodletting and war, Kali descends dawn on earth with her divine weapons of war, wearing a necklace of severed heads or munda maala to vanquish the opponents of the dharma. It is believed that at this bellicose time Kalki, the tenth avatar of Vishnu will descend from the heavens on a white horse to redeem mankind and usher in an age of enlightenment and truth. Suman’s textured narratives highlight the essence of each of these predetermined periods where mankind is destined to self-destruct and resurrect again.
In Hindu mythology, each yugas calls for a specific avatar to redeem the situation. S.C. Suman’s rendition of Dashavatar, portrayed the ten incarnations or avatars whose divine
interventions saves the world in each yugas. An additional narrative is woven around the four cyclical yugas. These paintings focus on the joy and harmony of nature, where even the tiny ladybirds rejoice. The artist also addresses the repercussions of human greed at all levels and portrays an abysmal situation where wildlife and their habitat are destroyed, forests are felled in the name of development, COVID prevails and bats are blamed for the rise of the pandemic. In this age of the anthropocene, the artist posits the question – will we ever learn from our mistakes and be freed from the great web of maya or Illusion that entraps us all?
But not all is doom and gloom, Suman’s narratives also focus on the coming of age, awareness, desire, love, and the harmony of nature. In this world – women frolic in the pond, swing in the mango orchard where luscious fruits are ripe for the picking and desires are unsheathed. Here male-female energies are intoxicated with each other, and this union gives birth to the continuum of life and hope. Suman paints the Mithila community coming together to celebrate their traditional festivals: women gather to paint the nuptial chambers or Kobhar Ghar for newlywed couples. the Chhath festival, the Dashami festival, Ganesh Puja, Gauri Puja, and the story of Salahesh.
To understand Suman’s work, it is important to contextualize the cultural, artistic, and literary tradition of the Mithila genre which is deeply rooted in nature. Verses from the sacred Vedas, Puranas, Bhagavad Gita, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata are replete with texts that pay homage to sacred trees, plants, flowers, and nature. It is important to remember that the fertile plains of the Terai gave birth to both Sita and Buddha. Like a pilgrim, Suman pays obeisance to these sacred texts through his artworks. He wields his pen and brush to illustrate key episodes from the Ramayana – the kingdom of Janakpur, the birth of Sita to King Janak and his Queen Sunaina, the epic wedding of Ram and Sita, the wedding procession from Janakpur to Ayodhya, their subsequent exile to the forest, the golden deer that that beguiled Sita and led to her abduction, Sita sitting desolately under the Ashoka tree while Hanuman hides in the branches, waiting for the opportune moment to present her with Lord Ram’s ring from her husband to give her hope and an indication of an exit strategy.
In his Mahabharata series Lord Krishna is featured as the eternal lover – exchanging garlands with Radha , while the cheer haran story depicts a mischievous Krishna sitting atop a sturdy branch of the Kadamba tree that overlooks a pond where 108 gopinis are bathing, oblivious to the fact that their othes have been taken away and hung beyond their reach. Suman also focuses on the many aspects of Krishna – in the painting Gita Saar, he depicts Krishna as the charioteer, giving sage counsel to Arjuna in the epic battlefield of Kurukshetra, while iconic images from the life story of Krishna are also revealed.In this work the artist uses calligraphy to pen lines or slokas from the Gita to set the mood and tone of his work. Even the Nava Durga painting is imbued with calligraphic text from the Devis slokas. The Krishna series also features the famous scenario from the Mahabharat- Gobhardan Parbat, where Lord Krishna saves the world from an apocalyptic deluge by divine intervention and holds the earth up on his divine little finger.
Suman’s Buddha series illustrates the prophetic dream of Maya Devi, the birth of Buddha and his subsequent enlightenment. In this series of work he uses both Godhana and Kachini style, in order to preserve and bring attention to this endangered artistic legacy of the Terai. This Mithila artist, now residing in Kathmandu and Biratnagar, takes us on a visual walkabout or pilgrimage to the haloed temples and stupas of the Valley – Pashupatinath, Swaymbhu, Boudha stupa, revered by hindus and Buddhists all over the world.
Mithila Cosmos VII | Journey of a Pilgrim, also includes 10 works on canvas, which marks a departure from his first experiment with acrylic on canvas in 2014. These bold new works, are a testament to how Suman ji has successfully rendered stories from the Mithila Cosmos with a more contemporary approach. And this experiment can be seen as a parallel journey of an artist and a pilgrim who seeks to reveal or unravel the multi textured narratives of faith to a new generation of viewers.
Nepal has long been regarded as a Shakti Staal and Tapobhumi – a sacred land where the Gods resided and the sages sought enlightenment. Suman’s works are not only steeped in the great cultural traditions of the Mithila world and in the great legends gleaned from Hindu mythology but in the present trials and tribulations of mankind which he renders with the vibrancy of master artist
Sangeeta Thapa
Founder Director Siddhartha Art Gallery
Founder Director Siddhartha Arts Foundation
Founder Chair Kathmandu Triennale