Married at the age of 12, separated by poverty, Dulari, a household worker, herself did not think that her struggle would fetch her the Padma Shri. The respect of the country that everyone aspires to get. But behind Dulari getting the Padma Shri award is hidden her relentless struggle. The struggle in which even a man gives up, but 54-year-old Dulari made the impossible possible.
Dulari Devi, a resident of Ranti village of Madhubani district of Bihar, was born in the midst of deprivation and poverty. Dulari Devi of Rajnagar block was born in a very poor Mallah family. She got married at the age of 12. Instead of seven births, Dulari returned home from her in-laws' house within seven years, and that too with the grief of the death of her 6-month-old daughter. She was not even educated, what would she do? But it is said that if a woman does not give up her courage, then she can do a lot.
Dulari started the struggle again from her maternal home. There she used to have some income by sweeping the houses, Dulari's life was going on but there was something else in her luck.
Wipes were replaced by Kuchi after some time. After this, the process of making Madhubani paintings started by Dulari has not stopped to date. The magic in the hands is such that once former President APJ Abdul Kalam also praised Dulari.
Who knows when fate will bring whom at what point. The same thing happened with Dulari. Dulari got the job of sweeping the house of Karpuri Devi, the famous artist of Mithila painting in her own village. Sangat leads to virtues, company to virtues. This proverb started coming true here, in her spare time, Dulari started painting her house and courtyard with soil and painting Madhubani using wooden brushes. As soon as Karpuri Devi joined her, the magic of Dulari's hands came out.
Dulari's life story and artworks are furnished in the book 'Following my Paint Brush' by Geeta Wolf and in Mithila, written in French by Martin Le Cause. His painting has also found a place in a book called Satrangi. His painting was also selected for the homepage of the Aadhaar syllabus prepared in Maithili for IGNOU.
Dulari Devi was specially invited by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at the inauguration of the Bihar Museum in Patna. There, a painting made by him on the worship of Kamala river has been given place. Dulari has been honoured with the State Award in 2012-13.
