Aadivart

STATE MUSEUM OF TRIBAL AND FOLK ARTS, MADHYA PRADESH

The perception of the cultural traditions of Tribal communities is integrated and holistic. Their cultural sense remains active from the spiritual forms and rituals of life to the concept of Gods and its forms, from needful things to creative aesthetic forms. The art in its elemental parts always depend on the capabilities of a community to create something meaningful and excellence in order to aesthetics in which every community has its own impression.

They sees their life in totality, similarly in the art, there is no such division and it doesn’t make any sense for tribal folks that the creation and the form of expression of life is figurative art and this performing art has a religious or spiritual importance and social as well. Basically every tribal community has its own cultural value system and every possible art form create within it – the speciality of this sense only has utmost importance. It is the need of today to express it in various researches and collections, designs and in performances from the abstraction of word-forms to the materiality of crafts.

The Concept of museums in the country and abroad has been envisaged as a place where various aspects of human civilization could be preserved in the form of memory over the years. Museums are often seen as a place of utter solitude and a quiet atmosphere, where liveliness is just a figment of the imagination. According to these changing times, the museums also needs to be changed so that the visitors can connect themselves with the place and the exhibit and try to become a part of it. There is a need of global thought and its expansion where a kind of dialogue or discussion can be done between the visitors and museum.

Evidence of existence of tribal communities and their art forms in this geographical region from prehistoric times to the present day can be found in the cave paintings of Bhimbetka, the World Heritage Site. In order to understand any particular community or its members, more emphasis has been given on their social structure and customs by research scholars. Arts have often been considered as the ornamentation of our societies but external and secondary face. But how beautiful it is in itself that whatever information we have today about the oldest civilizations of the world, it is largely due to its cultural aspects, its crafts and its workmanship only.

Human being always has been in search of new means to express himself, to understand around his surroundings and to establish a dialogue with it. He/she has been trying to express himself/herself by clay, colours, wood, stone, metal, language, dance, drama, music and fabrics etc. One of the basic primitive human desires is the desire to transmit one's words to others. We are well aware with what is happening around the world in the name of development and progress these days. It is no less than a miracle that even today such tribes, folk communities exist in our world, whose communication and lively relationship with nature is continue and unbroken. They still find a glimpse of supreme power in the rivers, mountains, forests, trees and also in animals. They are making their daily life meaningful by creating various things to keep themselves energetic. The very simple everyday household items are made with skill and ingenuity from almost costless materials available in their surroundings like bamboo, grass, clay, wood and due to it the cost happens to be less. The use is simple and effective, possible without harm to the environment and often they also meet the criteria of aesthetics.

Almost all the exhibits displayed here are examples of excellent piece of art and are basically useful objects related to the daily life. If there are images or paintings, it’s a part of some rituals. And there is an idol or sculpture, then that too is an invocation of some God or supreme-invisible power. The whole world is bound this invisible supreme power, that’s why there is no such things in tribal communities which is not cosmic and supernatural at the same time.

Snakes and other deadly creature are also worth worship here. Even Soil and cow-dung, the door frame of the house, the boundary of a field, paddy thresher, grinding mill, the sil-batta (grinding stone) are of no less than any deity.

Obectives of Aadivart

The objective of this museum is to have a glance at the tribal and folk communities of Madhya Pradesh and try to understand their lives, their indigenous knowledge system and their aesthetics closely in holistic way. Bypassing the museum's stereotyped interpretation, this is a medium for providing opportunities to see and understand the indigenous knowledge and their aesthetic practices closely.

It also aims to provide new arena to the tribal and folk artists to survive in these changed social and economic conditions of today's life. Along with this, there will be an effort to focus on things like providing new markets, new social scenario or also providing technical knowledge to them according to today's need, so that this exchange let not be just one-sided but be it inspiring and nourishing to both.

Modern societies, which have almost lost contact with nature, can regain its rhythm and once again bring the environmental balance on its axis and also to bring some scientific knowledge to tribal communities that can be helpful in their growth as well. In near future, this museum sees itself as a Dynamic, Creative centre for cultural exchange of all kinds.

Culture Village of Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh is the heart state of the country where there are several important places of Prehistoric, historical, spiritual and cultural contexts. The famous world Heritage site of Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh has a special place for its historical and artistic Grandeur and it is the land of knowledge as well. Department of culture, Govt. of Madhya Pradesh has conceptualized and established 'Aadivart' State Museum of tribal and arts as a cultural village of Madhya Pradesh.

In this museum, representative houses and daily needful things of all the seven major tribes of the state i.e Gond, Baiga, Bheel, Bharia, Korku, Kol and Saharia have been constructed and collected here along with all five cultural regions i.e. Baghelkhand, Bundelkhand, Malwa, Nimar and Chambal.