LocationsBrushstrokes of change: A Mithila artist breaking barriers and empowering communities
January 2, 2025
A female artist in Nepal is using the centuries old Mithila Art to paint a future where women lead, communities thrive, and important messages about health, equality, and sustainability reach everyone—one stroke at a time.
JANUARY 1, 2025
In mid-2021, while the pandemic kept everyone confined indoors, Nirmala Jha gingerly walked the streets of Janakpur on her way to her workstation. It was almost 7 a.m. when the 60-year-old artist began preparing her space—gathering brushes, squeezing fresh paint on her palette, and adding the final strokes to a vibrant painting.
Amidst the panic and uncertainty induced by the pandemic, Nirmala was grateful for the opportunity to work rather than remain indoors. She was creating ten Mithila artworks—each carrying messages about mask-wearing, social distancing, and the strength of communities—for a social media campaign by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
"This painting, for example, portrays people from various walks of life, wearing face masks, washing their hands, and maintaining physical distance while working,” the artist explained. “It sends the message that individual behavior plays a crucial role in controlling the spread of the virus."
Nirmala was the only artist who worked every day from the office during those challenging times. Her art not only informed but also comforted, uniting communities with its familiar cultural style. "I wanted to use our art and language to connect with people, especially during the uncertainty of the pandemic," she said. "The paintings were widely appreciated, shared across social media, and sparked conversations."
“Art has the power to heal and unite people in times of crisis. UNDP Nepal worked together with artists to transmit public health messages through their work, for example urging people to self-isolate, or to wear surgical masks.” - Kyoko Yokosuka, UNDP Resident Representative reflecting on the UNDP initiative to engage artists during the lockdown
Localizing the SDGs
Earlier, in 2020, Nirmala led a team of female Mithila artists to create artwork representing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This initiative played a pivotal role in localizing the seventeen global goals for the Maithili-speaking community, making complex issues such as poverty and climate change more relatable.
“When you talk about Goal 1—ending poverty—local people may not fully grasp its meaning,” said Nirmala. “But if you depict a joyful family harvesting food from their farm, people will immediately understand that farming and storing food help reduce poverty and contribute to sustainable development.”
She further explained that the same approach works for climate change. “If you ask local people about the impacts of climate change, they may not know the technical terms. But if you ask them about droughts, floods, or crop failure in their region, they can tell you plenty.” Similarly, to illustrate the goal of ensuring equal access to education, Nirmala would portray both boys and girls attending school and enjoying their right to education equally.
Nirmala’s role as a lead Mithila artist in the SDGs localization campaign brought her increased recognition. In 2020, the Australian Embassy in Kathmandu invited her team to paint a mural at the Embassy to celebrate 60 years of Nepal-Australia diplomatic relations. Later, at the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology, a non-profit community hospital in Kathmandu, Nirmala and her team painted pieces emphasizing the importance of eyesight, which were later published in a book titled Love Your Eyes, designed by Australian social entrepreneur Sandra Fiedeldy.
From a trainee to a trainer
Nirmala’s journey as an artist was not easy. She married at 16, and when her husband tragically passed away from a brain hemorrhage at 32, Nirmala was left to raise three young children on her own, without formal qualifications. Unable to pursue a government job due to her incomplete education, it was her childhood passion for painting, passed down by her mother, that provided her a way forward.
At 18, she joined the Janaki Jagaran Mahila Samaj as a trainee and eventually rose to the position of a trainer. Today, Nirmala works with a non-government organization, Relative Nepal- an implementing partner of UNDP for the “Leave no one behind Initiative,” and rather than focusing solely on traditional stories, she now uses Mithila Art to highlight gender inequality issues in the Madhesh province. Nirmala travels across the country, empowering women to learn the craft and use it as a means of livelihood. "I’m helping women not only find their voice but also the means to support themselves," she says with pride. "When I paint, I feel connected to my community and to something much larger than myself."
In 2021, as part of post-COVID tourism recovery, Nirmala was one of the twenty Mithila women artists to paint Mithila art at key cultural sites in Janakpur, including the Ram Janaki temple and Ganga Sagar area. Supported by Sustainable Tourism for Livelihood Recovery Project (STLRP), a collaboration between the Nepal Tourism Board, UNDP Nepal, and Samaj Utthan Yuwa Kendra (SUYUK Dhanusha), the initiative provided local women with income and recognition. The two-and-a-half-year project focused on creating sustainable jobs for the long-term recovery of tourism sector.
She recently worked as a trainer for the UNDP supported Leave no One Behind initiative project on empowering women, girls and people with disability through Mithila Art and gender equality programme. In her current role, Nirmala provided advanced training on Mithila art to 25 girls, women and persons with disabilities this year. Through this training, participants not only enhanced their artistic abilities but also gained a sense of empowerment, contributing to gender equality and inclusion in their communities.
On November 2024, Relative Nepal, in partnership with UNDP Nepal, completed an advanced Mithila Art training as part of the "Empowering Girls, Women, and Persons with Disabilities through Mithila Art and Gender Equality" program. The program helped 25 girls, women and persons with disabilities develop valuable skills –boosting their confidence and providing new opportunities for self-expression and economic independence.
Thus, through the vibrant colors of Mithila art, Nirmala is painting a future where women lead, communities thrive, and important messages about health, equality, and sustainability reach everyone—one stroke at a time.
Related
content
content
