The evolution of Mithila painting is associated with three communities in the Madhubani district of Bihar. These communities are Brahmins, Kayastha and the third one is Dalit or Paswans. Women of Dusadh caste (mostly in Jitwarpur village) and some other Dalit castes like Chamar are doing all forms of traditional paintings in Godna style. The chief deity of the Dusadh’s is Raja Sailesh or Salhesh and he is the key character of Godna painting or Salhesh painting. They used to paint family members of Salhesh, his consorts Dauna and Malin, tigers, guards and some imaginary characters like Hurar, decorated with trees, animals and minerals in sequences. They also make Salhesh sculptures and clay reliefs of animals and birds. These art forms are for ritual purposes and also for decoration.
