Master Artist of JHC

Banarasi Pandit, 32, is a clayworker by caste. She lives in ghodghas village of Dhanusha district with her mother-in-law and two siblings- Radheshyam Pandit and Gaurishankar Pandit. Her husband Ramnath Pandit is working as a labour in Qatar. She was not interested in painting before joining Janakpur Handicraft Center (JHC). Later it became her passion. At present she is one of the best artists of JHC.

In an interview She said “….working outside the village was not appreciated by anybody in the family except my husband. Relatives, neighbors and friends, all of them were against my decision but I started working and able to manage the household expenditure. Now my husband works in Qatar and my children are also studying in a school. The people who were against my decision, at present they want to send their daughter and daughter-in-law to JHC to learn this art.”

Banarasi Pandit’s painting captures the moments of particular events. She draws the people performing rituals – the rites of marriage ceremony, tonsure ceremony, the sixth day of birth of a child etc as well as daily activities of Maithili people. She has been awarded several times in the local programs.