Answer: Family shrines and deities
In the inner verandah, the family shrine (devasthan or gosain ghar) is located, and griha devatas and kula devatas are painted.
Madhubani paintings, characterised by bright colours, are largely painted in three areas of the house — central or outer courtyards, eastern part of the house, which is the dwelling place of Kuladevi, usually, Kali, and a room in the southern part of the house, which houses the most significant images. Various armed gods and animals or images of women at work like carrying waterpots or winnowing grain, etc., are vividly portrayed in the outer central courtyard. The inner verandah, where the family shrine — devasthana or gosain ghar is located, griha devatas and kula devatas are painted. In the recent past, many paintings are done on fabric, paper, pots, etc., for commercial purposes. The most extraordinary and colourful painting, however, is done in the part of the house known as the kohbar ghar or inner room, where magnificent representations of kohbar, a lotus with a stalk in full bloom having metaphoric and tantric connotation along with images of gods and goddesses are painted on freshly plastered walls of the room. |
