Mithila Culture roars in the SMP-10 Batch of IIMA

Red bricks campus portrayed in Mithila Art

Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad is a foundation of future business thinktank of India. The students flock in here not only to shape their career but also to prune up the same. A Senior Management Program is one for the latter. The basic criterion of 10 years work-ex itself ensures that the head of each of the incumbent students is already brimming up with business ideas and tongues emitting nothing but industry jargons. And if someone finds that they are also the connoisseurs  of  a regional art and culture then it is a pure bliss.

Mr. Vijay Kumar, a Senior Software Consultant at Cognizant based in Bangalore is a perfect blend of soil and silicon chips. When in office he is reverberated with programming codes and once out of the wall he is fully immersed in culture of his soil.

He did not utilise the scheduled sessions at campus merely for learning sophisticated techniques but also to showcase the culture of his ancestral land i.e. Mithila. His pitch for the culture may look extreme sometimes and many a times faculties and staff had to intervene for check and balances. For one instance Mr. Vijay felt pride in adorning a kurta with the mesmerising motifs of Madhubani aka Mithila art. On other he was seen distributing 'paag' the typical Mithila headgear to each of the participants coming his way. He did not stop here but also took out a large number of stoles with sterling Mithila art inscribed on them which he happily handed over to the large number of his batchmates.

The stoles are not only a fashion statement but also a cultural signature in the Mithila region. The stoles often feature traditional themes such as nature, mythology, and religious symbolism.  Stole is like a decorative scarf or shawl that is often adorned with intricate designs and motifs inspired by the traditional art form. Silk, cotton, and chiffon are the typical fabric used in  a stole. These are also known for their vibrant colors and elaborate patterns.   They are adorned with detailed hand-painted or block-printed designs that showcase the skill and expertise of Madhubani artists.  Madhubani art stoles have commonly found motifs as flowers,  animals, birds, geometric patterns. traditional symbols specific to the art form.   The festivals, weddings or formal events are the occasions in Mithila when you behold the traditional elegance to such outfit. 

In a post-convocation private gathering of the batchmates Mr. Vijay Kumar also distributed a large number of Mithila (Madhubani) paintings. Many of the paintings were prepared by SmreetiShree, an extraordinarily talented Madhubani painting artist based in Navi Mumbai and running Shree Creations. Palak Rani Dutta from Bangalore and Babli Meera Dutta from Jamshedpur were among others whose paintings were utilised in the event. And surely, who can be more proud than those who have a Mithila art as a gift or momento in their hand! The air was full of joy and fulfillment while they departed to their separate home destinations.

A few lines from the Hindi poem of Mr. Vijay Kumar- 

"Man me chhoti si duniya sab ki

Man se kabhi chhoti na rah saki

Soch tu chauhaddi se dur ek ghar ki

Rach sako mukkamal gar ek paridhi".

.....

Article by - Hemant Das 'Him'

Inputs from- Vijay Kumar (vijaykumar.scorpio@gmail.com)

Send your feedback to- hemantdas2001@gmail.com/ editorbejodindia@gmail.com