Madhubani: Bihar’s first Shilpgram (craft village) was inaugurated on Saturday at Jitwarpur in Rahika block of Madhubani district, marking a major initiative to preserve and promote Mithila’s rich handicraft traditions — including Madhubani paintings, paper mache, sikki, and terracotta — under the Union textile ministry’s National Handicrafts Development Programme in collaboration with the Bihar Museum.The Craft Village is being developed at a cost of over Rs9 crore, with 80% funding from the Central govt and 20% from the Bihar Museum — the highest allocation for such a project in any state. Targeted for completion within a year, the project is expected to boost Jitwarpur’s global profile and honour pioneers such as W G Archer, Bhaskar Kulkarni, and Lalit Narayan Mishra, who helped popularise Mithila art worldwide.According to officials, phase one will include a four-room guest house with modern amenities near the Common Facility Centre at the Dak Bungalow, a separate toilet block, 12 stalls for crafts such as paper mache, sujni, and terracotta, along with landscaping and garden development.A grand entrance gate featuring Madhubani artwork, renovation of three govt ponds with colourful brick and stone borders and tree cover, paving of village roads, and installation of around 100 street lights are also planned. Outer walls of homes will be whitewashed for artists to paint Madhubani motifs. The project also envisions extending development to nearby art-centric villages like Ranti and Raiyam.Jitwarpur, a village of around 400 households, holds the distinction of being the only village in India to have produced three Padma Shri awardees — Jagadamba Devi (1975), Sita Devi (1980), and Baua Devi (2017). Including the adjoining Laheriyaganj, the count rises to five with Shivan Paswan and his wife Shanti Devi receiving the honour in 2024. With nearly 90% of locals dependent on handicrafts rather than agriculture or salaried jobs, every home here functions as an art studio, making the village a vibrant hub of Mithila’s artistic traditions.Earlier, state art and culture minister Arun Shankar Prasad inaugurated the event as the chief guest, and Bihar Museum director general Anjani Kumar Singh presided over the inaugural ceremony. Those present included Shirsat Kapil Ashok, MD, Bihar State Road Development Corporation Ltd (BSRDCL); Ashok Kumar Sinha, additional director and nodal officer, Bihar Museum; Mohammad Asif Ahmad, MLA (Bisfi); and B K Jha, assistant director, Union ministry of textiles. Four Padma Shri artists — Baua Devi, Dulari Devi, Shanti Devi, and Shivan Paswan — also graced the event.Villagers accorded a warm welcome to the dignitaries. Baua Devi expressed gratitude, saying the project fulfills a long-standing dream. Ashok Kumar Sinha, who advocated for Jitwarpur in a high-level meeting in Delhi in 2025, highlighted the village’s cultural importance, which helped secure approval from the ministry’s committee.Shirsat Kapil Ashok, recalling his tenure as Madhubani DM, pledged timely completion of the project. He informed that BSRDCL has been appointed as the executing agency.Speaking as chief guest, minister Arun Shankar Prasad said the Craft Village would empower local artists by offering direct market access, eliminating middlemen, and ensuring fair prices for their work.
