Ajay Kumar at 15:27, 28 August 2023

2023-08-28T15:27:19Z

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{{Short description|Indian artist}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox artist
| name = Mahasundari Devi
| image = Devi6.JPG
| imagesize =
| caption = Mahasundari Devi working
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1922|4|15|df=y}}
| birth_place = Madhubani
| death_date = {{death date and age|2013|7|4|1922|4|15|df=y}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Padma Shree Awardee Madhubani Painting artist Mahasundari Dev died at the age of 92|url=http://www.jagranjosh.com/current-affairs/padma-shree-awardee-madhubani-painting-artist-mahasundari-devi-died-at-the-age-of-92-1373018415-1|website=Jagran Josh|access-date=30 May 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140424175333/http://www.jagranjosh.com/current-affairs/padma-shree-awardee-madhubani-painting-artist-mahasundari-devi-died-at-the-age-of-92-1373018415-1|archive-date=24 April 2014}}</ref>
| death_place = Ranti<ref name="Times of India"/>
| nationality = Indian
| education =
| field = [[Mithila Painting]]
| training =
| movement =
| works =
| patrons =
| awards = [[Padma Shri]] {{small|(2011)}}
| spouse =
| partner =
}}

'''Mahasundari Devi''' (15 April 1922 – 4 July 2013) was an Indian artist and [[Madhubani art|Madhubani painter]].<ref name="Hindustani 2">{{cite news|date=11 October 2007|title=Bihar’s Madhubani artists get poor returns|work=Hindustan Times|publisher=Hindustan Times (New Delhi)}}</ref> She was awarded the [[Tulsi Samman]] by the [[Government of Madhya Pradesh]] in 1995, and in 2011 she received the [[Padma Shri]] award from the [[Government of India]].<ref name=pib2>{{cite press release|title=Padma Awards Announced|url=http://www.pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=69364|publisher=[[Ministry of Home Affairs (India)|Ministry of Home Affairs]]|date=25 January 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222101141/http://www.pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=102735|archive-date=22 February 2014}}</ref>

==Biography==
As a child, Devi was "barely literate" but began painting and learning the Madhubani art form from her aunt.<ref name="Times of India"/>

She married a school teacher, Krishna Kumar Das when she was 18.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2013-08-04|title=Straight from the art|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/content/348977/straight-art.html|access-date=2020-06-03|website=Deccan Herald|language=en}}</ref>

In 1961, Devi left the [[purdah]] (veil) system which was prevalent at the time and created her own niche as an artist.<ref name="Hindustan Times">{{cite news | title=India: Ladies' Fingers and a Flavour of Art | work=Hindustan Times| date=29 May 2007 | agency=Women's Feature Service | author=Prakash, Manisha}}</ref> She founded a cooperative society called Mithila Hastashilp Kalakar Audyogki Sahyog Samiti, which supported the growth and development of handicrafts and artists.<ref name="Hindustan Times" /> In addition to Mithila painting, Devi was known for her expertise in clay, paper mache, sujani, and Sikki.<ref name="Times of India" /> According to her family, Devi created her last painting in 2011.<ref name="Times of India">{{cite web|date=5 July 2013|title=Doyenne of Mithila painting Mahasundari Devi dies|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Doyenne-of-Mithila-painting-Mahasundari-Devi-dies/articleshow/20920615.cms|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170324065924/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Doyenne-of-Mithila-painting-Mahasundari-Devi-dies/articleshow/20920615.cms|archive-date=24 March 2017|access-date=17 September 2013|website=The Times of India}}</ref> Devi died on 4 July 2013 in a private hospital with sources citing her age at 92.<ref name="Times of India" /> She was cremated with full state honours the next day.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-07-05|title=Madhubani painting guru cremated with state honours|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/patna/madhubani-painting-guru-cremated-with-state-honours/story-KwTWQYZT4I2UF3NtvSqAqJ.html|access-date=2020-06-03|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref>

== Recognition ==
She received her first felicitation in 1976 from the [[Bhartiya Nritya Kala Mandir|Bhartiya Nritya Kala]] for an illustration of the struggles of a Maithil girl.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/16558/photo-essay-madhubani-art-transformation-women-artists-bihar/|title=IN PHOTOS: How Madhubani Art Is Undergoing A Transformation - By Women Artists in Bihar!|date=2014-12-01|website=The Better India|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-15}}</ref> She received the [[National Film Awards|National Award]] from the president of India, [[Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy]], in 1982.<ref name="Hindustan Times" /> Devi was considered a “[[living legend (person)|living legend]]” of the art of painting.<ref name="Hindustan Times" /> She was awarded the [[Tulsi Samman]] by the [[Government of Madhya Pradesh]] in 1995, and the [[Shilp Guru|Shilp Guru award]] in 2007.<ref name=":0" /> She received the [[Padma Shri]] award from the government of India, in 2011, for her contributions to the field of art.<ref name="Hindustan Times" /><ref>{{cite news|date=26 January 2011|title=List of Padma Awardees for 2011|work=Mint|location=New Delhi|url=https://www.livemint.com/Politics/6oHYLoz3FhtySC2WD0bfzO/List-of-Padma-awardees-for-2011.html|access-date=4 June 2020}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Devi was a resident of Ranti village located in [[Madhubani, Bihar]].<ref name="Hindustan Times"/> Her daughter-in-law, Bibha Das, is also Madhubani painter, as is her sister-in-law, [[Karpoori Devi]].<ref name="Business Standard"/><ref>{{Cite web|last=Jain|first=Somya|date=2018-03-18|title=6 Madhubani Women Artists Who Pushed Out Dominant Narratives|url=https://feminisminindia.com/2018/03/19/6-madhubani-women-artists-listicle/|access-date=2021-03-07|website=Feminism In India|language=en-GB}}</ref> She had two daughters and three sons.<ref name="Business Standard">{{cite news|date=4 July 2013|title=Madhubani painting artist Mahasundari Devi dead|work=Business Standard|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/madhubani-painting-artist-mahasundari-devi-dead-113070400941_1.html|url-status=live|access-date=17 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921060109/http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/madhubani-painting-artist-mahasundari-devi-dead-113070400941_1.html|archive-date=21 September 2013}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Art}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Devi, Mahasundari}}
[[Category:1922 births]]
[[Category:2013 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian painters]]
[[Category:Indian women painters]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts]]
[[Category:People from Madhubani, India]]
[[Category:Folk artists]]
[[Category:Culture of Mithila]]
[[Category:Indian portrait painters]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women artists]]
[[Category:Women artists from Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Painters from Madhya Pradesh]]

Mahasundari Devi - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 15:27, 28 August 2023