Regional Art Gallery


Collection stories

Manjusha Art : The regional specialty of Bhagalpur
This acrylic on canvas is a fine example of Manjusha Art of the Ang region of Bhagalpur in Bihar, which depicts the mythological story of Shiva and his soul-daughter- Vishahri Devi. According to the depiction, five strands of Lord Shiva’s hair fell into the pond while taking a bath and turned into five lotuses. These were later adopted by Shiva as his daughters. The specialty of Manjusha Art is that it narrates a story via multiple frames in a single painting; the frames following the sequence of the story. It typically uses only three colours in the painting.
Adi-Shakti : The folk Goddess in papier mache
This sculpture of the Adi-Shakti – Goddess of Power – has been created in papier mache. It symbolizes the idea of divine feminine power instilled in the conscience of people since time immemorial. People idolize and worship this form of the Goddess, which is understood to be the energy that creates, upkeeps and destructs the universe.
Sama-Chakeba
This is a folk tale depicted through terracotta sculptures, narrating the story of Sama, Krishna's daughter, and his son Chakeba. It portrays a brother's heroic act to protect his sister. Inspired by this tale, Bihar's Mithila region celebrates a nine-day festival honoring the bond between siblings.



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