fieldwork

Salhesh mela and Jangali Badshah

April 18, 2023April 18, 2023 by Mon

Mon

Dating back to the 7th/8th centuries, loknaach, folk dramas that bring forward the precious epics of the Madhes and Mithilanchal areas are now performed more rarely than in the past and only in village fairs. This art seems to be dying out and many folk artists have moved to other…

Vivah Panchami 2022

January 21, 2023January 21, 2023 by Mon

Mon

Vivah Panchami celebrates the marriage of Lord Ram with Goddess Sita, and the connection between Janakpudham and Ayodhya. The city is said to be decorated “as a bride” for the festival. The sacred geography of the city is renewed through religious rituals and public events performed in key locations, mostly…

Twelve year Swetkali dance of Nardevi

October 22, 2022November 12, 2022 by Mon

Mon

The Swetkali dance is one of the Astamatrika dances traditionally performed in the Kathmandu Valley for the protection of the state. This year it was performed for two nights in Taleju Bhavani (Hanuman Dhoka) and for one night a full day on the dabali in front of Kumari Ghar. The…

The material presence of the divine in Janakpur

June 3, 2022July 4, 2022 by Mon

Mon

As I go through pictures of my fieldwork in Janakpur to prepare a presentation, the performative culture of the city stands out in astonishing ways. It is not only the Mithila paintings that adorn the walls, some still showing the bright colours of a recent addition, others fading, and witnessing…

Fieldwork journeys

April 26, 2022April 28, 2022 by Mon

Mon

By land, by air through the imagination. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpDZjbr-F5U Janakpur-Jhumka by bus Biratnagar-Kathmandu. Getting a glimpse of how densely populated the area is from above is amazing.

“Mithila” murals everywhere

April 21, 2022May 2, 2022 by Mon

Mon

What is usually described as "Mithila paintings" are omnipresent in Janakpur public spaces. A full wall painting welcomes travellers at the airport. The hall of the newly constructed railway station also displays them. You can find them along the wall of the Janaki temple compound, but also in the wall…

Colours of Janakpur

April 3, 2022July 5, 2022 by Mon

Mon

A short 20 minute flight (after a 2 hour delay) brings me to Janakpur. What strikes me most at first is the heat and the colours of the city. Janakpurdham or Janakpur is a sub-metropolitan city in Dhanusa District and capital of the newly named Madhes Province (former Province 2).…

Street art around Patan

March 20, 2022April 27, 2022 by Mon

Mon

Ancient traditional Newar architecture and paintings, and contemporary issues displayed on the city walls through funky graffiti. Stories of people and stories of places, witnessing the traffic and the busy urban life. [caption id="attachment_558" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Hakha-Chusika nani galli, Mangal Bazar[/caption] [caption id="attachment_559" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Jawalakhel Road[/caption] [caption id="attachment_560" align="aligncenter"…