Meet Dulari Devi: The Artist Behind Nirmala Sitharaman’s Hand-Painted Madhubani Sari
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman wore a very special saree on the occasion of presenting the Union Budget on Saturday, which is being discussed everywhere. The saree worn by the Union Minister on the occasion of the budget remains in the headlines. This time she has worn a saree with Madhubani painting, which depicts the art of Madhubani. This saree was gifted to her by Padma Shri winner Dulari Devi.
When the Union Minister came to Madhubani for a credit outreach program at Mithila Kala Sansthan, she met Dulari Devi during this time. Dulari Devi gifted her this saree and also told her to wear it while presenting the budget. Therefore, Nirmala Sitharaman has worn this saree displaying Madhubani painting in honor of Dulari Devi. Dulari Devi herself has prepared this saree for the Finance Minister with her own hands.
Dulari Devi was born in a fisherman community in Madhubani, Bihar. She was born in an environment where women had no connection with art and neither did she ever have any curiosity to learn it. But, some circumstances came in her life that she completely assimilated Madhubani painting in her life and it is the result of that that today she is at this peak.
Dulari Devi's life has been full of struggles. She got married at a very young age and her husband left her when she was just 16 years old. She worked as a domestic help in a house for a long time to earn her living. During this time she met the famous Madhubani painter Karpuri Devi.
Karpuri Devi taught her the basics of Madhubani art. After this, she became so proficient in this field that she became a national level artist. She was also awarded Padmashree for her commendable performance in the field of Madhubani painting.
The paintings made by Dulari Devi are also in discussion among the people because she makes people aware about social issues through them. She has made more than 1 thousand paintings so far, through which she has made people aware about child marriage, AIDS awareness, female foeticide.
