Bali, the king of demons had, through penance and valor, gained dominance over the three worlds. The gods, deprived of their abode, came to Vishnu for help. At their request Vishnu incarnated himself as dwarf born to the sage Kashyapa and his wife Aditi. One day the dwarf appeared before the virtuous Bali. He begged for alms, and he was promised by the king whatever he might demand. The dwarf demanded as much space as he could encompass with three steps. Once this had been granted, the dwarf with one step covered the earthly world, with a second step the heavens and then, no space being left for a third step, rested his foot on Bali's head and pushed him down to the nether world. Bali, bound by his kingly promise, had to acknowledge his defeat, but in recognition of his virtues, Vishnu left him the dominion of the infernal regions.

This myth teaches us that since even God had to resort to the dwarf's form while begging, one who begs makes himself small! Secondly, a true Brahmin can conquer the three worlds by the power of the spirit.

The image shown here, is in accordance with textual descriptions. Vamana holds a water-pot in his right hand and an umbrella in his left.

References:

Danielou, Alain. The Myths and Gods of India: Vermont, Inner Traditions International, 1991.

Garrett, John. A Classical Dictionary of India: Delhi, Low Price Publications, 1996.

Harshananda, Swami. Hindu Gods and Goddesses: Madras, Sri Ramakrishna Math, 1987.

Jansen, Eva Rudy. The Book of Hindu Imagery, The Gods and their symbols: Holland, Binkey Kok Publishers, 1998.

Mitchell, A.G. Hindu Gods and Goddesses: New Delhi, UBS Publishers, 1998, Eleventh Edition.

Colors of Tradition: Exploring the Artistry Behind Madhubani Paintings

Madhubani painting is also known as Mithila art as it is practiced in the Mithila region of India and Nepal. It has specifically originated from the Madhubani district of the state of Bihar. Traditionally, the women of this region created these paintings and in recent years, it has become a widely practiced art and has now become renowned throughout the world. This art expresses the creativity and culture of the people of Mithila and is passed from one generation to another. In this way, the heritage of Madhubani art has been preserved for many decades. The subjects of these paintings are usually religion, love, and fertility. Sometimes, social events like festivals, weddings, and royal court are also depicted in the paintings. The most commonly painted designs and themes are the forms of Hindu Gods and Goddesses such as Ganesha, Shiva, Saraswati, Lakshmi, Krishna, and Ram. The characteristic features of Madhubani paintings are their vibrant colors and eye-catching geometrical patterns. The empty spaces are filled with traditional motifs such as floral and foliate patterns, animals, birds, geometrical structures, and other designs. The local artists create these paintings using a variety of items such as matchsticks, twigs, brushes, pens, or even their own fingers. The paints are usually made with natural dyes and pigments.
As simple as it may seem, the making process of the world-famous Madhubani paintings is certainly not easy and requires lots of hard labor.

Traditional Madhubani paintings are done either on cloth, handmade paper, or canvas. Select the medium of painting as per your choice. If you have chosen cloth, attach it to cardboard to make a solid base. The making of the painting begins with making a double-lined border. This is a very important step because the border is filled with various geographical shapes and patterns or other motifs. The average width of the border is 1.5 - 2 cm. Now that the border is created, you will be left with a blank middle space. This is the main workspace. Start drawing your choice of figure, designs, and shapes. These must be relevant to the Madhubani painting themes.

When the key design has been made, the empty spaces in between are filled with some designs.
Now is the time to color the painting using vivid shades and hues. Colors in Madhubani are sourced from nature; Indigo is used to produce blue, flower juice produces red, turmeric gives yellow, leaves produce green, cow dung mixed soot gives black, and rice powder gives white.

To paint these colors, the artist uses a bamboo stick and wraps cotton around it. This acts as a traditional brush.
The entire painting is now painted using this special brush with natural vibrant colors. · However, in modern times, the common brush is used and instead of natural colors, artists prefer to use acrylic paints.

Since the entire painting is made with natural materials and colors, it appears simple yet enriching. Originally, this art was created on mud walls or soil grounds but when it evolved over many years, the people of Madhubani started to make it on fabric and paper. Today, this art has become globalized and is receiving worldwide attention and appreciation.