Sports gallery

This Gallery displays the sports and games popular among tribal communities. Their children are not so privileged to have all the facilities enjoyed like in modern societies. But they have their own indigenous ways to entertain themselves. These children they have unique games and sports. They know to make balls using the roots or barks of a tree or used cloth. They also use wood and stone pieces, a wooden or bamboo rod or Gendi to make sporting equipments. There are no rules regarding number of players or time. There is no referee either. As these games are meant to improve solidarity and to improve physical fitness.

Tribal spiritual world

The Divine Space in the tribal world view is defined by the abstract. Their deities dwell where they wish to and there are no confines of temples. The Divine Presence of Gods and Goddesses has been represented by stones, mounds, flags, sticks, pillars, tridents, earthen lamps or terracotta offerings, raised platforms seen on the side of roads, amidst jungles or on the bank of a small pond and sometimes on invisible boundary of village. The concrete form of God is absent.There are a number of symbols like terracotta offerings, tridents, earthen lamps, Meghnad Khamb of Korku tribe, Sarag Naseni of Gonds, Gal Bapsi, Tatal devi's (who joins broken limbs) place of Bhils, Dev Gudi of Murias; Maharani Khamb of Baiga etc. representing the Divine Power.

Tribal aesthetic

Aesthetic sense among tribals prevails so intensely that everything they use reveals their artistic perceptions with striking origilinality. We find an octagonal wedding canopy under the shades of four beautifully carved trees, which represent myths from four different tribes. Ceremonial bangle, musical instruments, tales glorifying the life of ancestors, designs on important rituals have been represented with profoundest understanding of art.

Tribal lifestyle

The gallery tribal life is like an open courtyard in which dwellings units of Gond, Baiga, Saharia, Bhil and Korku tribes create a perfect neighbourhood. Space limit in this Gallery could allow creation of representative replicas of actual houses. The architectural skills, aesthetic approach to house building, interiors and use of natural resources have been displayed purposefully to give a glimpse into their dwellings. For examples, walls of Baiga dwellings were earlier made with some strong plant parts or grass. Dwellings of Bhil tribe are built on top of some small hillocks and are lonely existing.

There are several museums in the city of lakes – Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh - which have a lot of unheard truth of bygone era in its folds and Bhopal's diversity is clearly reflected in its museums. One of the biggest attractions here is the Tribal Museum, with its well planned and beautifully placed themed galleries where every visitor is able to connect via motifs and artefacts representing tribal lifestyle.

(All information, pictures, and content in this story is courtesy Tribal Museum, Bhopal, and Madhya Pradesh Tourism)

Bhopal’s Tribal Museum - An ode to tribal art and culture