Radha Krishna with Sakhi under the Kadamba Tree by Dulari Bai

Padma Shri Dulari Devi belongs to Ranti village in Patna. Married off at a young age, Dulari Devi suffered abuse and loss and later returned to her maternal home. Lacking formal education she helped her family in farming and also worked as a domestic help. It was at one of her employers homes that she saw Madhubani paintings being made and it led to her life changing for good. The employer was none other than the renowned Madhubani artists Mahasundari Devi and Karpoori Devi who saw Dulari’s interest in painting and encouraged her to take it up. And soon Dulariji had mastered the art and started writing her own destiny. Dulari Devi is an expert of the Katchni and Bharni styles of Madhubani. While the former relies on lines and monochrome illustrations the other is made using intricate lines, bold and vibrant colors. Her works tell the stories of her community who are fishermen by profession, village markets, wedding scenes and others. Dulari ji credits her inspiring career to her mentors Mahasundari ji and Karpoori ji. She expresses her gratitude to them for giving her the strength and guidance to do what she does. She is passionate about maintaining the legacy and continuing the tradition of making Madhubani paintings and has been teaching at the Mithila Art Institute for nearly a decade now. Her work doesn't just conform to traditional themes and rituals but also tells her story - the community she belongs to, her life in the village and experiences in life. Dulari ji has received both national and international recognition and has also published an illustrated autobiography "Following My Paint Brush" with Geeta Wolfe in 2011. She continues to be an inspiration for all artists and women and reminds us to keep trying even in the face of adversity. Her story serves as an inspiration to artists and tells them to tell their stories through their art and share their perspective on the world. It is a matter of pride and honour for us to have her as part of the Rooftop family.