For four women artisans from Bihar, Bengaluru is now more than just another city on the map. It is where their art is being seen, appreciated, and recognised. At MAATI- The Crafts School’s two-day showcase at SABHA on Kamraj Road recently, visitors were immersed in intricate hand-painted textiles, wall art, table covers and home furnishings rooted in the traditions of Mithila painting. But beyond the vibrant colours and painstaking details, lies a deeper story: one of women learning to see themselves not merely as artisans, but entrepreneurs.MAATI, short for Mithila Art Artisan Transformative Initiative, is supported by TATA Trusts and works with women artisans from Madhubhani and Darbhanga in Bihar. MAATI hopes to change that by equipping women with skills that go beyond painting. Artists Ram Dulari Devi, Rubi Devi, Anjali Kumari and Priyanjali Kumari made their way to Bengaluru where their work was showcased .Fifty-year-old Ram Dulari Devi says, “With MAATI, I find myself creating new designs and experimenting with my own technique. I’ve been doing this a long time, but doing things differently makes me feel very good about my art. We’ve never done this art with so much thought and process.”