Students of Delhi Public School, Bhagalpur, take part in a class on Manjusha art. Picture by Amit Kumar

Bhagalpur, April 29: The Manjusha art form is undergoing a quiet revival in the ancient silk city under the financial assistance of Nabard’s Rural Innovation Fund (RIF) since early 2009. Now, students will play an active role in keeping it alive and kicking.

Thinkers, historians, writers and academicians pointed out some time ago that the art form should be introduced among school students to keep it alive.

The project monitoring and review committee set up under the RIF project appreciated the idea. It directed the implementing agency to explore the possibility of introducing the art in some schools’ extra-curricular activities, said Nabin Roy, district development manager, Nabard, Bhagalpur.

The efforts of the RIF borne fruits on April 27, when the Bhagalpur chapter of Delhi Public School (DPS) invited Disha, the Nabard team, for an interaction with the students opting for fine art as their hobby.

Manjusha art is overshadowed by the world famous Madhubani/Mithila paintings, in which the folklore of Ramayana is depicted.

It is an art form based on the folklore of Bihula-Bishari. It was kept alive through paintings on religious artefacts offered to deities during auspicious occasions.

Manjusha art prominently has a serpentine design and the motifs include snakes, X-shaped characters, nature and birds in three different colours.

In the recent past, the art form went into oblivion. The research continued, though. Now, the art expects a fresh lease of lease in the hands of the DPS students.

Nabard has decided to introduce the art form in other schools as well, Roy said.