“Within villages around Dang [Gujarat], traditional instruments and artists are waning. Cultural music and dance forms among the adivasis have evolved over centuries. Beautified by elements and nuances of their surroundings, these forms depict their very lifestyles. Played for hours together in the same tempo, music is an integral part of celebrations and mourning. […] Each instrument has a purpose and belief related to it.” – Ashleshaa Khurana in “The ailing art of adivasi music” (Times of India, 30 January 2014)
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=13780
Anthropological MuseumManav Bhawan, BogadiMysore, Karnataka Anthropological Survey of Indiawww.ansi.gov.in The Anthropological Museum is a treasure trove of objects and weapons used by the South Indian communities, primarily the tribal communities, of India. Established in 1965 by the Anthropological Survey of India, the museum has over 1,000 exhibits collected from the tribal and ethnic groups of … Read more
On the occasion of World Indigenous People’s Day on 9th August, I present the song ‘Ḍuṅgri Latar’ (At the foothills) that talks about the struggle and plight of Muni (name changed), a 14 years old girl, the third generation member of the family working at a stone-quarry situated at the border area of Birbhum and … Read more
The richness and variety of the Barao Dance and music is remarkable. The Oraon community of the state, who are mainly concentrated in the Hazaribagh Goomla area, performs this dance. The high table land is thickly dotted with hills and hillocks. The Oraons call themselves Kuruk. The ten lakh strong Oraon population of Jharkhand has … Read more
Source: courtesy Dr. Ruchira Ghose (Co-Curator, New Delhi, 21 January 2016); for photo and detailed credits, please check the multimedia production available at Google Arts and Culture here >> [Bold typeface added above for emphasis] Tip: view the actual slideshow, watch a video on Santal puppetry, listen to a rare 1914 Santali recording and read the full story
[…] Fresh from the book launch of Ijlal Majeed’s stunning new poetry collection in Bhopal, I find myself gazing at the rock shelters of Bhimbetka and murmuring these verses over and over again. For indeed there is something subliminal about this place; it makes you question accepted notions of time and timelessness. Looking at the … Read more