The most important symbols used are the lotus flower and bamboo stick, which represent the sexual organs and the sun, moon, turtles and fish. These paintings are very much related to social and religious customs. Some of the family occasions during which these paintings are made are the birth of a child, thread ceremony, girl's attainment of puberty and marriage. Maithili paintings also received encouragement to put their art to paper. Since then, this style of painting has acquired new entries, artistically and commercially.
Artists now struggle to keep up their own identity in style as new styles are introduced everyday.