Originating centuries ago in Mithila, Madhubani began as ritual wall art painted by women to celebrate festivals, marriages, and village life.

Fascinatingly, it survived only through oral tradition until the 1960s, when it gained global recognition as a formal art style. The craft features intricate line work and bold colours made from natural pigments, depicting mythology, nature, and daily life. It is unique for its fully hand-drawn, border-filled compositions with no empty spaces and strong symbolic storytelling. GI-tagged as Madhubani Painting of Mithila, Bihar.