Mithila's connection to the Indian Budget presented today !!

There was so much buzz as Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled her eighth consecutive Union Budget today.  The income tax rebates she announced have been the biggest talking point. Schemes for the MSME sector, women, farmers, the education sector, for boosting exports, etc. have also been announced.  The FM also announced a slate of regulatory reforms, including a High level committee to evaluate regulatory  reforms and an Investment Friendliness Index.

 

Elsewhere, Devi lives in the village of Ranti, in the State of Bihar, in India,  married at the age of thirteen, but returned to live with her family at the age of eighteen, after the death of her child. She did not receive any formal education,  -  what would have been a tragic life, turned out to be one of honour due to her grit, skills and the rightful recognition. She is also in news today !!

 

Dulari Devi (born 1968) is an Indian artist and illustrator, working in the Mithila art tradition. In 2021, she was a recipient of the Padma Shri, a civilian honour of  the Government of India, for her contributions to art. 

The Kingdom of the Videhas (also Mithila / Tirabhukti) was an ancient Indian kingdom in Late Vedic India which rose to prominence under King Janaka. Yes it was the place of Seethadevi consort of Lord Rama.  The ancient kingdom was located on the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, in what is today north-eastern Bihar of India and the eastern Terai of Nepal.  Mithila, the cultural region is  bounded by the Mahananda River, the holy Ganges, the Gandaki and the foothills of Himalayas.  The native language in Mithila is Maithili, and its speakers are referred to as Maithils.  The later day Mithila would comprise of  Tirhut, Darbhanga, Kosi, Purnia, Munger, Bhagalpur and SanthalPargana divisions[a] of India and some adjoining districts of Nepal.  The region is known for its special type of painting ‘mithila or madhubani painting’.

 

Madhubani art (also known as Mithila art) is a style of painting practiced in the Mithila region of India and Nepal. It is named after the Madhubani district of Bihar, India, which is where it originated.  Jitwarpur, Ranti and Rasidpur are the three most notable cities associated with the tradition and evolution of Madhubani art.   Madhubani artists, mostly  female,  create these paintings using a variety of mediums, including their own fingers, or twigs, brushes, nib-pens, and matchsticks. The paint is created using natural dyes and pigments such as ochre and lampblack are used for reddish brown and black respectively.  The paintings are characterized by their eye-catching geometrical patterns. There is ritual content for particular occasions, such as birth or marriage,  and festivals, such as Holi, Surya Shasti, Kali Puja, Upanayana, and Durga Puja. 

The paintings were traditionally done on freshly plastered mud walls and floors of huts, but now they are also done on cloth, handmade paper and canvas. Mithila paintings mostly depict people and their association with nature and scenes and deities from the ancient epics. Natural objects like the sun, the moon, and religious plants like tulsi are also widely painted. 

On the occasion of her historic eighth consecutive Union Budget presentation, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman arrived at Parliament donning a stunning saree that paid homage to India's rich cultural heritage. The off-white handloom silk saree, adorned with intricate Madhubani artwork, was a special gift from renowned artist and Padma Shri awardee Dulari Devi. The saree not only symbolized the timeless beauty of Madhubani art but also spotlighted the artistry and craftsmanship of Bihar’s Mithila region.

 

Dulari Devi met Nirmala Sitharaman during a credit outreach program at the Mithila Art Institute in Madhubani, where they discussed the importance of preserving Madhubani art and supporting its artisans. As a token of appreciation, Devi gifted the hand-painted saree to Sitharaman, urging her to wear it for the Budget Day. Sitharaman, known for using her attire to reflect India's diverse cultural fabric, embraced the gift, choosing it to make a strong statement on the national stage. 

Interesting !

Regards – S Sampathkumar
1.2.2025 

savage banter ! ~ Iceland Cricket

 

Brutal banter ! - Cricket rules are framed by England who fail to understand how they could be interpreted. Harshit Rana was no Lillee or Marshall !! - Iceland Cricket is all brain and humour

Prakasam Barrage - Vijayawada

 

                Krishna River in the Deccan plateau is the third-longest river in India, after the Ganga and Godavari.  The river, also called Krishnaveni, is 1,400 kilometres (870 mi) long and its length in Maharashtra is 282 kilometres.  It is a major source of irrigation in the Indian states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. 

Those travelling by train via Vijayawada will enjoy the river closer to the Station as also the barrage.  The Prakasam Barrage stretches 1223.5 m across the Krishna River connecting Vijayawada and Guntur districts in Andhra Pradesh. The barrage serves also as a road bridge and spans over a lake. The three canals associated with the barrage run through the city of Vijayawada, crossing it and giving it a Venetian appearance. 

The idea of constructing a dam across the river Krishna dates back to 1798. It began in the hands of captain Buckle and was revised in 1839 and 1841 by Captain Best and Captain Lake. After the endorsement of Major Cotton, the board of Directors of the East India Company approved it on 5 January 1850. The dam was started in 1852 and completed in 1855. It cost Rs 1.75 crore in those days and seems to have paid the then government a return of 18%. It used to irrigate 7 lakh acres.

 

Later, the State Government constructed a bridge that was named after Tanguturi Prakasam, the first Chief Minister of Andhra.  Completed in 1957, it irrigates  over 1.2 million acres of land. This barrage also supplies water to Buckingham canal which was initially constructed as an inland navigation canal but was later used as an irrigation water supply canal.   

General Sir Arthur Thomas Cotton KCSI (1803 – 1899) was a British army officer and irrigation engineer who worked in the Madras Presidency. Cotton devoted his life to the construction of irrigation and navigation canals throughout British India. He helped many people by building the Dowleswaram Barrage (Rajahmundry), the Prakasam Barrage, and the Kurnool Cuddappah Canal (K. C. Canal).  Sir Arthur Cotton Museum has been built in his honour in Rajamahendravaram, Andhra Pradesh. The museum holds approximately one hundred images and 15 machine tools that Cotton used when constructing the barrage in Andhra Pradesh from 1847 to 1852.

 
Interesting !
 
Regards – S. Sampathkumar
1.2.2o25