Mithila Festival USA 2022 Art for SDGs: the Mithila Heritage Exhibition Artists Announcement

We are very pleased to announce the selected participating artists for Mithila Festival USA 2022 Art for SDGs; the Mithila Heritage Exhibition. Eight Artists (Seven Female and One Male) from Nepal, India and USA have been selected and their solo art exhibition will be held virtually from April 14-15, 2022 and in person group exhibition with auction will be held on April 16, 2022 at Diversity Plaza, Jackson Heights, New York, USA. The selected artists are (in alphabetical order); Indrakala Nidhi, Jaykali Mukhiya, Pratik Rayamajhi, Rajkumari Mandal, Rebati Mandal, Remani Mandal, Sachi Srivastava and Sneha Mishra. 

It is our continued effort towards showcasing United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through Mithila Art. This year’s Mithila Festival USA art exhibition entitled “Art for SDGs: The Mithila Heritage” exhibiting SDGs goal 4 (Quality Education) will be also focus on promoting education and community awareness towards COVID-19 precaution and prevention measures. Organized by Mithila Center USA, the Mithila Festival USA 2022 with Art, Culture and Literature Program will be held virtually on April 14-15th, 2022 and in person group exhibition with Kids Art Workshop/Award, Mithila Culture/Festival Book publication followed by cultural program and closing ceremony will be held on April 16, 2022 at Diversity Plaza, Jackson Heights, New York, USA. Further, this year’s program will also include celebration of Mithila King Salhesh Jayanti, New Year and Jude Sheetal/Jur Sital Festival.

The grand success of the first Mithila Festival USA with inaugural exhibition entitled ‘Arts for SDGs: the Mithila Heritage’ held at United Nations Headquarters in New York in April 2019 with support of permanent mission of Nepal to UN has motivated us to continue our effort in this regard. We consider organizing the Mithila Festival and Art Exhibition would not only inspire our community in USA and other countries to celebrate cultural festival but also to preserve and promote Mithila heritage by their contribution to raising community awareness towards United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. 

Mithila culture is considered as a unique culture in South Asia in view of its infusion of ancient Nepali and Indian Culture described by the epic Ramayan and other Hindu literature. The Mithila culture attaches immense importance to lives of Goddess Sita and Lord Ram. Sita (also known as Janaki), whose birthplace is the city of Janakpur Dham of Nepal, the capital of ancient Mithila Kingdom, had nuptial ties with Lord Ram, the crown prince of Ayodhya in India thousands year ago. The Mithila culture is a living culture since the people of both Nepal and India and other countries belonged to Mithila community have embraced cultural values and practice in their daily life. In this way, people have made contributions to enriching religious and socio- cultural heritage and promoting values of humanity, friendship, peace and prosperity. New York and New Jersey in the USA are the cities where largest number of Mithila community people have been living over decades. 

Mithila art is well-known around the world. Mithila paintings in various forms have been in existence for centuries with a great contribution of female artists. Female artists’ great contribution is well recognized for wall paintings and their knowledge of painting have been handed down to generations.  Mithila Art traditionally narrates mythological and religious events, and also, they are used for decoration as well as documenting the social commentary. More recently, Mithila paintings have taken up as a more contemporary and collectable art form, with men/women artists painting on canvases of rough handmade paper that is similar in texture to the mud hut walls. Not only are Mithila paintings now exhibited in galleries across the world, but more importantly the art has also opened up a new industry for women in impoverished rural communities.

We are passing through very unusual time due to COVID-19 pandemic and we firmly believe that organizing such festival will not only help bring our community together with more strength and power of courtesy, patience, and harmony along with hope for peace and prosperity but also enhance community awareness toward COVID-19 precaution and prevention. 

Your kind participation, cooperation and support to organize Mithila Festival USA 2021 will be highly appreciated. 

मिथिला महोत्सव अमेरिका २०२२ कला प्रदर्शनीका लागि ७ जना महिला सहित ८ कलाकारहरुको कलाकृति छनौट 

‘दिगो विकास लक्ष्यको लागी कला:  मिथिला सम्पदा’ मुल नारा सहित अप्रिल १४ देखि १६ सम्म न्युयोर्कमा हुने मिथिला महोत्सवअमेरिका २०२२ मा ८ कलाकारहरुको कलाकृति प्रदर्शन गरिने भएको छ । ८ कलाकारमध्ये ७ जना महिला छनौट गरिएको छ । छनौट गरिएका कलाकारहरुमा इंद्रकला निधि, ज्यकाली मूखिया, प्रतीक रायमाझि, राजकुमारी मण्डल, रेवती मण्डल, रेमानी मण्डल, शाची श्रीवास्तव र स्नेहा मिश्रा रहेका छन् । 

प्रदर्शनीका लागि नेपाल, भारत र अमेरिकामा रहेका कलाकारको कलाकृति छनौट गरिएको मिथिला सेंटर अमेरिका का संस्थापकअध्यक्ष र मिथिला महोत्सव अमेरिकाका आयोजक अमित शाहले जानकारी दिए । अधिकांश महिला सहभागी कलाकारहरु दुर्गमग्रामिण क्षेत्रबाट रहेको र यसबर्ष महिला उद्यमशिलतालाई प्रवद्र्धन गर्नुसमेत आफूहरुको उद्देश्य रहेको शाहले जानकारी दिए ।

मिथिला सेन्टर युएसएको आयोजनामा मिथिला महोत्सव अमेरिका गर्न लागिएको हो । मिथिला कला र संस्कृतिको प्रवर्द्धन र प्रदर्शनगर्नुका साथै मिथिला कलाको माध्यमबाट संयुक्त राष्ट्रसंघीय दिगो विकास लक्ष्यको प्रदर्शन गर्ने निरन्तर प्रयास स्वरुप कार्यक्रमआयोजना गरिने आयोजकको भनाई छ । यसवर्षको मिथिला महोत्सव अमेरीकाको मुल नारा ‘दिगो विकास लक्ष्यको लागी कला:  मिथिला सम्पदा’ रहेको छ।

यसपटक संयुक्त राष्ट्रसंघीय दिगो विकास लक्ष्य ४ (गुनास्तर शिक्षा) प्रदर्शन र् सुस्वास्थ्य तथा समृद्ध जीवनलाई केन्द्रित गरी कोभिड १९विरूद्ध सावधानी र निरोधात्मक उपायहरूसम्बन्धमा सामुदायिक जागरूकता बढाइने भएको छ । तसर्थ यो कार्यक्रममा सहभागी हुनचाहने इच्छुक कलाकारहरुलाई मुख्य नारालाई ध्यानमा राखी तयार पारिने आफ्नो चित्रकलाको नमुना र आफ्नो संक्षिप्त परिचय मार्च२५ सम्म ईमेलमा पठाउन अनुरोध गरिएको थियो । त्यसै अनुशार प्राप्त कलामध्येबाट ८ कलाकारका कलाकृति छनौट गरिएको छ ।

प्रथम मिथिला महोत्सव ३ बर्ष अगाडि सन् २०१९ को अप्रिलमा संयुक्त राष्ट्रसंघको मुख्यालय न्यूयोर्कमा चित्रकला प्रदर्शनीसँगै सम्पन्नभएको थियो । मिथिला महोत्सव र कला प्रदर्शनीको आयोजना गर्दा अमेरिका तथा अन्य राष्ट्रहरूमाझ सांस्कृतिक पर्वको रूपमा मनाउनेमात्र नभई संयुक्त राष्ट्रसंघको दिगो विकास लक्ष्यहासिल गर्ने सन्दर्भमा समेत मिथिला सम्पदाबाट हुनसक्ने योगदानबारे सामुदायिकचेतना बढाउन पनि सहयोग पुग्ने आयोजकको विश्वास छ । साथै मिथिला राजा सलहेश जयन्ती समारोह, नव वर्ष तथा जुड़ शीतल चाडर मिथिला साहित्य सम्बन्धी कार्यक्रमहरू पनि यसवर्षको मिथिला महोत्सव अमेरिकामा समावेश गरिनेछ ।

दक्षिण एशियामा मिथिला संस्कृतिले आफ्नो एक विशेष संस्कृतिको पहिचान बनाएको छ । रामायण र अन्य हिन्दू साहित्यमावर्णनगरिएझैं प्राचीन नेपाली र भारतीय संस्कृतिको मिश्रण मिथिला संस्कृति हो । देवी सीता र भगवान रामको जीवन गाथाले यससंस्कृतिमाविशेष महत्व ओगटेको छ । हजारौं वर्षअघि मिथिला राज्यको राजधानी रहेको जनकपुरधाम जन्मभूमि भएकी सीता (जानकीको नामलेपनि चिनिने) को विवाह अयोध्याका राजकुमार भगवान रामकासाथ सम्पन्न भएको थियो ।

मिथिला संस्कृति एक जीवन्त संस्कृति पनि हो । किनकी नेपाल र भारत एवम् अन्य देशहरुमा बस्ने मिथिला समुदायका व्यक्तिहरुलेआफ्नो सांस्कृतिक मूल्य र मान्यताहरुलाई दैनिक जीवन र व्यवहारमा अगाँलेका छन् । यसप्रकारले यस समुदायले आफ्नो धार्मिक, सामाजिक तथा सांस्कृतिक सम्पदालाई समृद्धशाली बनाउन योगदान गर्दै आएको र मानवता, मित्रता, शान्ति र समृद्धिको मूल्यमान्यताको प्रवर्द्धन गरेको छ। अमेरिकामा को न्युयोर्क र न्युजर्सीमा लगायत बिभिन राज्यहरूमा समेत हजारौ को संख़यामा मिथिलासमुदायका व्यक्तिहरु दशकौंदेखि बसोबास बसोबास गर्दै आएका छन् ।

मिथिला कला संसारभर प्रख्यात छ । महिला आर्टिस्टहरुको विशेष योगदानले नै मिथिला चित्रकला विभिन्नरुपमा शताब्दीऔंदेखिअस्तित्वमा छ । घरको भित्तामा बनाइने चित्रकलाकालागि महिला आर्टिस्टहरु प्रख्यात छन् र सो सम्बन्धी ज्ञान उनीहरुबाट नैनयाँपिढीहरुमा हस्तान्तरण हुँदैआएको छ । मिथिला कलाले पौराणिक र धार्मिक विषयहरुका अतिरिक्त सामाजिक टिप्पणी एवम्सिंगारसजावट सम्बन्धमा पनि प्रस्तुत गर्दछ । मिथिला चित्रकलालाई समकालीन र संकलनीय कलाको रुपमा हाल मान्यता दिईएको छ। महिला वा पुरुष आर्टिस्टका हातहरूले बनाएका कागजका तैलीय चित्रहरु माटोका भित्तामा बनाइएका चित्रहरु जस्तै छन् । विश्वकाविभिन्न आर्ट ग्यालरीहरुमा मिथिला चित्रकलाको प्रदर्शन भएको छ र यसबाट ग्रामीण समुदायका विपन्न महिलाहरुकालागि आयआर्जनको श्रोत पनि बढाउने नयाँ किसिमको घरेलु उद्योग फस्टाउने संभावना बढेको छ ।

‘हामी अहिले कोभिड १९ को महामारीको कारणले एकदमै कठीन समयबाट गुज्रिरहेका छौं । हामी पूर्ण विश्वस्त छौं कि यस्तासांस्कृतिक चाडपर्व मनाउने कार्यबाट हामीबीच सामन्जस्यता, सौजन्यता, धैर्यता र साहस बढाउन र शान्ति र समृद्धिकोलागि सामुदायिकएकता सुदृढ गर्न तथा कोभिड १९ महामारीको विरूद्धमा साबधानी र निरोधकालागि सामुदायिक जागृति बढाउन पनि मद्दत पुग्नेछ ।’ – आयोजकले बताएका छन् ।