India News | .MADHUBANI/MUZAFFARPUR CAL23 BH-O'FARRELL Rural Women Artisans of Bihar Impress Australian Diplomat

Madhubani/Muzaffarpur (Bihar), Oct 13 (PTI) Women artisans of rural Bihar Thursday impressed Australian High Commissioner to India Barry O'Farrell AO, who was in the state as part of an extended road trip.

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O'Farrell announced on his Twitter handle that he reached Bihar on "Day 5" of his excursion, via Sikkim and Darjeeling.

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He visited Jitwarpur village in Madhubani district, famous the world over for its distinct style of painting, and enjoyed the sight of artists at work.

Madhubani painting is a folk art form famous for its beauty and simplicity. It is known for the unique use of local plants for colouring, cow dung to treat the paper and bamboo sticks for brushes.

He was received by Madhubani district magistrate Arvind Kumar Verma, to whom he gifted a cricket ball apparently as a memento signifying the love for the sport shared by the two countries.

O'Farrell expressed his delight over the visit to Jitwarpur on Twitter. The village, he said, is "home to hundreds of award-winning artisans, including seven Padma Shri awardees and we were lucky to have met one - Baua Devi ji. Their Madhubani art is treasured across India and worldwide".

Sharing pictures of the meeting, he posted "Couldn't resist picking a few pieces of this oldest rural art form of India" and tagged Union Ministries for Textile and Culture and Bihar tourism department among others.

His next stop was Sharfuddinpur in Bhusra, on the outskirts of Muzaffarpur, known for 'Sujini' embroidery which has earned a GI tag.

The 'Sujni' form involves stitching together layered bits of cloth and is considered a form of quilting.

"Witnessed the intricate needlework and stitching of exquisite Sujani embroidery - recipient of the UNESCO Seal of Excellence in 2019 - by women artisans in Muzaffarpur. India's rich cultural heritage never ceases to amaze", the Australian High Commissioner posted in the micro blogging site.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)