Madhubani magic: FM Nirmala Sitharaman's saree honours Bihar’s artist Dulari Devi on Budget Day
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is often known for making statements with her sarees on Budget Day. Each year, she wears a saree that represents India’s rich textile heritage and traditional craftsmanship, and this year was no different. This year, Sitharaman chose to wear a beautiful off white saree with intricate golden work, paired with a red blouse and a shawl while carrying her trademark bahi-khata, a tablet wrapped in a red-coloured cloth with a golden-coloured national emblem embossed on it.
However, this saree was more than just a piece of clothing—it also carried a special story. The saree was a gift from Padma Shri awardee Dulari Devi, a self-taught Madhubani artist from Bihar. The finance minister met Dulari during her visit to the Mithila Art Institute in Madhubani for a credit outreach event, where she presented the saree to Sitharaman and requested her to wear it on Budget Day.
As a tribute to Madhubani art and Dulari’s exceptional skill, Sitharaman honoured the request by wearing the gifted saree to present the budget on Saturday. Dulari Devi’s journey to becoming a celebrated Madhubani artist is nothing short of inspiring. She comes from the fisherman community, which traditionally was not involved in painting. However, she developed a passion for the art form while working for Karpoori Devi, an accomplished Madhubani painter.
Despite facing multiple hardships —being abandoned by her husband at 16, losing her child and working as a domestic help for 16 years—Dulari Devi never gave up.
Her paintings also spread awareness of important social issues like child marriage, AIDS, and female foeticide. Over the years, she has created 10,000 paintings and displayed them in over 50 exhibitions across India. She has also trained more than 1,000 students through organisations like the Mithila Art Institute and Seva Mithila Sansthan, ensuring that the traditional art form thrives in future generations.
Traditional touch
. In 2019, she chose a pink Mangalgiri silk saree with gold borders, paired with her signature red bahi khata.
. In 2020, she wore a yellow silk saree with green-lined borders, symbolizing hope and prosperity.
. In 2021, she opted for a red and white Pochampally silk saree while promoting Indian weaving communities.
. In 2022, Sitharaman wore a brown and maroon Bomkai saree from Odisha, showcasing regional craftsmanship.
. In 2023, she chose to wear a red silk saree with black Kasuti embroidery, a craft from Karnataka.
. In 2024, she wore a blue Tussar silk saree with Kantha embroidery from West Bengal.
Sitharaman ji came to Mithila Chitrakala Sansthan and the saree that was gifted to her was made by me. It is called Banglori silk. It took me a month to make it. I am very happy that she wore it today. It is a great honour for Bihar and the country. —Dulari Devi
Charcoal portrait of Sitharaman
Amroha-based artist Zuhaib Khan, who uses graphite-charcoal to create artwork, has made an eight-foot-long portrait of Sitharaman to mark the presentation of the Union Budget. Zuhaib said, “Through the portrait, I have tried to express my expectations with the budget—that it will help our Indian rupee to strengthen. I hope it contributes to our nation’s progress.” Not only Zuhaib, but sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik also used his creative talent to mark the presentation of the Union Budget. He created a sand sculpture on Puri Beach depicting the Union Budget 2025. “I have created a sand art welcoming the Union Budget 2025. This art is created by four tonnes of sand with the message of Welcome Union Budget 2025 written on it,” Sudarshan said.