Baua Devi painted this poignant piece in 1980, almost a decade after the death of her six-day-old daughter. In the piece, there are two women and a child, who is presumably the daughter. One of the women sits in front of the child, while the other has her arms outstretched. The black figure at the top of the piece likely represents destruction, forming a stark contrast with the vivid pink hues throughout the rest of the painting. It also conveys the grief felt by Baua Devi at her bereavment.

This tragic moment in Baua Devi's life, which occurred when she was only 19, was only one of a series of hardships she had to endure. She was married off into a hostile family at the age of 12, and underwent significant abuse by both her husband and her mother-in-law for several years. Ultimately, though, Baua Devi was able to use her practice of Madhubani art to move past this dark chapter of her life, and gained respect and fame for her immense artistic talent. 

This painting depicts Chhath Puja, a North Indian celebration during which devotees worship Surya, the Hindu god of sun. In her painting, Baua Devi uses vivid colors such as deep green, bright pink, orange, and red to depict the vibrancy of the festival. Small stories are also interwoven throughout the painting to enhance the narrative - for instance, one of the figures in the piece is a mother who is disciplining her child by pulling his ear. 

Perhaps the most interesting story told in this piece, though, is that of Raymond Owens. An anthropologist from the United States, he is pictured in the bottom right corner of the painting with his video camera, documenting the festival. Interestingly, Owens originally traveled to Bihar in 1976 to study their flood control and irrigation. But after seeing the incredible artistry of local Madhubani practicioners, he gave up his research and spent the rest of his life working with Indian folk artists. In fact, he helped establish both the Ethnic Arts Foundation and the Mithila Art Institute, and they are an instrumental part of keeping the Madhubani tradition alive today!