Katchni — from kachnī, “line” — is the disciplined counterpart to Bharni’s colour. Built from fine, repeated lines and cross-hatching, usually in a single colour such as lamp-black or red, it gives depth and texture through pattern rather than fill. Historically the style of Kayastha women and linked to the village of Ranti, Katchni rewards patience and a steady hand.
Master practitioners such as Mahasundari Devi and Godavari Dutta raised Katchni to extraordinary refinement, covering whole surfaces with shimmering networks of line. Where Bharni dazzles, Katchni draws the eye in close — a quieter virtuosity that is no less central to the Mithila tradition.