When Bihar was struck by famine in the 1960’s, the Indian Government was considering how to give relief in a practical way, to the folk and tribal artists of Mithila and especially Madhubani. Pupul Jaykar started a relief project in the villages of the area and found there, a number of women of different communities who still had the old painting skills. Eventually about twenty outstanding painters were discovered including Jagdami Devi, Sita Devi, Mahasundari Devi, and others. The women were given large sheets of strong paper and poster paints and were persuaded to produce pictures in a traditional manner. These were then sent to New Delhi and were sold for the famine relief fund by the All India Handicrafts Board. They proved a great commercial success and dealers began to stock and sell them. Supplies of Maithil (Madhubani) paintings reached England and the Victoria and Albert Museum purchased a group for circulation to provincial galleries and museums.

This collection of paintings is from around that period.