Credit: Shonak Aliya
Overview and History of Madhya Pradesh Tribal Museum
Established in 2013, the Madhya Pradesh Tribal Museum showcases the rich culture of the tribes that make up Madhya Pradesh. At Shyamala Hills, just 8 km away from the Bhopal Junction. So let’s deeply divide the state’s cultural diversity and heritage.
Spread over an area of 6 acres, the museum has six galleries that highlight seven tribes of Madhya Pradesh- Bhartiya, Sahariya, Baiga, Korku, Gond, the Bheel, and Kol. Galleries showcase the rituals, customs, forms of worship, models, art installations, forms of worship, and ways of life.
Let’s take a closer look at each of these galleries and what they have to offer:
Mud and Brick Houses Gallery
This gallery showcases the traditional mud and brick houses of the tribes. The colorful murals and paintings adorning the exterior of these houses are a visual delight and provide a good understanding of the tribal way of life, the basic tools they use, and how they cook and preserve food grains.
It showcases tribal ways of living, and how they cook and preserve food grains. The traditional use of brick provides a good understanding of the tribal way of life. Colorful murals and paintings adorn the exterior of the house.
Tribal Aesthetic Gallery
The gallery showcases bamboo and wooden figurines that tell an interesting story of the Gond folklore of “Basin Kanya. ”Depicting the circle of life of the tribes- birth, marriage, and death that is attached to these festivals and sacred rituals. Figurines of cattle and farmers, and brass bangles six feet in diameter are the things to watch for.
Spiritual World Gallery
The gallery houses terracotta sculptures, Sarah Naseni of Gonds, Gal Bapsi, Tatal Devi’s place of Bhils, Devi Gudi of Murias, and Meghnad Khamb of the Korku tribe. All these things make it easy to understand the importance of divine power in a tribal man’s life. It symbolizes the afterlife, mystical and spiritual worlds of the tribes.
Chhattisgarh Gallery
It is dedicated to the state’s tribal culture. It beautifully represents the history, way of life, art, and custom of the state’s tribe.
Games Gallery
The different roles played by the tribal people are shown in the gallery. It includes traditional tug-of-war, Ghoda Badam Shahi, and indigenous wrestling. People playing these games show great zeal and enthusiasm.
Other Facilities
Apart from the galleries, the museum also houses an auditorium, a small boutique shop selling artifacts, and a restaurant. The museum is open from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., except on Mondays and government holidays. The entry fee is Rs. 10 for Indians and Rs. 250 for foreigners.
Apart from the galleries, the museum has an auditorium and a small boutique shop that sells artifacts.
Timing
Entry to the museum is from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., except on government holidays and Mondays.
Entry fees
Indian – Rs 10
Foreigner – Rs 250
If you want to explore and understand the rich cultural heritage of Madhya Pradesh, then you should visit this place. Colorful galleries, art installations provide an enriching experience and an excellent opportunity to learn and appreciate the tribal way of life.
How to Reach Madhya Pradesh Tribal Museum
By Car: Bhopal is well-connected to major cities in India through a network of well-maintained roads. If you’re traveling by car, you can take NH-146B or NH-146A to reach the museum. The museum is located at a distance of 8 km from Bhopal Junction railway station.
By Train: Bhopal Junction railway station is the nearest major railway station to the museum. You can take a train to Bhopal from any major city in India and then take a taxi or auto-rickshaw to reach the museum.
By Air: Raja Bhoj Airport in Bhopal is the nearest airport to the museum, located at a distance of 15 km. You can take a taxi or cab from the airport to reach the museum.