Who Is Dulari Devi? Madhuban artist who gifted Nirmala Sitharaman saree for Union Budget 2025 | File
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present the budget for a record eighth time, donning a saree inspired by Madhubani Art to honor the artistry of Padma awardee Dulari Devi. On budget day, Sitharaman, wearing a white saree, presented the first copy of the budget to the President of India, who matched her attire in a white saree with a red border.
Notably, the saree was a gift from Dulari Devi, a 2021 Padma Shri recipient recognized for her contributions to art, with whom Sitharaman shared an inspiring meeting during a credit outreach event at the Mithila Art Institute.
Who Is Padma Awardee Dulari Devi?
Dulari Devi hails from the village of Ranti in Bihar and belongs to the marginalized Dalit Mallaah caste. Forced to marry at thirteen and later returning to her family after a tragic loss, she never received formal education. She learned Madhubani art while working as a domestic servant for artist Mahasundari Devi, who, along with Karpoori Devi, mentored her in this traditional art form.
Madhuban artist Dulari Devi receiving Padma Award | PIB
Dulari’s career is marked by her mastery of the Madhubani art tradition, which includes both ‘Kachnhi’ (line sketching) and ‘Bharni’ (colored) styles, with a preference for the latter. While traditionally, these styles were associated with specific castes, Dulari’s work transcends these boundaries, showcasing her immense skill. Critics have noted her themes reflect the empowerment of women, blending community traditions with modern innovative expressions. Dulari Devi’s contributions signify a unique intersection of cultural heritage and personal narrative within the realm of Indian art.
Exhibitions Over The Years
In 2005, Devi’s work was part of an exhibition organised by Narendra Narayan Sinha, showcasing Madhubani art based on traditional illustrations. In 2010, she and other folk artists created tribal folklore through their art, which was published in “Surya Aur Chand”, a collection of silk-screen prints by Tara Books. In 2018, her painting “Prime Minister Narendra Modi arriving at village in helicopter” was part of the Madhubani art exhibition ‘Painting is My Everything’ held at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco.
Prime Minister Modi arriving in a village via helicopter | Asian Art Museum
The exhibition was named after a quote by Devi about her career. She has also created several murals for the central and state governments in India and teaches Madhubani art techniques to children. She is an instructor at the Madhubani Art Institute located in Madhubani, Bihar.
Dulari Devi Autobiography
In 2011, Devi published an illustrated autobiography “Following My Paint Brush” in collaboration with author and publisher Geeta Wolfe. Her recent paintings, which depict the impact on her community during the COVID-19 lockdown, are collected by the Graphic Arts Collection of Princeton University. Her works were also featured in the exhibition ‘Tradition and Change: Mithila Art of India’ at the William Benton Museum of Art.
Documentary On Dulari Devi
Director Natasha Urbahn is researching a documentary “Better to Be a Tree Than a Girl” about her. The documentary is about a group of young women painters from Bihar who are fighting discrimination and patriarchy using the ancient Mithila illustration style. In 2021, she received the Padma Shri award. In 2012, she was awarded the Bihar State Award for Excellence in Arts.
