Traditional Village Huts – West Zone Cultural Centre

Warli Hut – Maharashtra

West Zone Cultural Centre — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 11:08:19 +0000

The Warli tribes’ people inhabit the northern part of the Konkan area of Maharashtra. Their chief source of income is generated from agriculture, and they prefer to erect their homes in the fields in which they work.

A Warli hut, built on a simple earth foundation, square in shape, comprises only a kitchen and a living room, half of which is occupied the by the family, and the other half, by their livestock. The hut walls are constructed of bamboo and reeds, plastered with a binding mixture of cow dung and mud and the hut may be roofed with either dried leaves or straw thatch.

As the hut would be shared between the household and their livestock, a stout pole separates the two, so that the human residents wouldn’t find their four-legged friends helping themselves to food, or worse still, the Warlis wouldn’t get trampled on at night, but apart from that, the householders and the animals tend to lead pretty communal lives.

Vardha Hut – Maharashtra

West Zone Cultural Centre — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 11:03:39 +0000

This flimsy-looking hut is of the type used by bamboo workers, and it is therefore not surprising that they build their huts of the material they are familiar with; bamboo. The bamboo walls are plastered with mud for additional weatherproofing and privacy. This altogether basic hut comprises one living room and a kitchen. The roof is covered with bamboo and tiles.

The Tribal Museum

West Zone Cultural Centre — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 10:54:12 +0000

The museum, run by the Tribal Research Institute, occupies a small, circular building. There, one can see a sample of the general items that would be used by an average Rajasthani tribal family; from clothing to tools and even weapons. The TRI has been set up to maintain records of all aspects of tribal life, form health to diet – from beliefs to customs. They have their own small but excellent museum in Ashok Nagar, Udaipur, as well as a superb library.

The Kothi Collection

West Zone Cultural Centre — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 09:35:16 +0000

The Kothi Collection almost entirely devoted to Kothi, the containers commonly used to store food grains in the rural areas. They may be made of mud, dung, bamboo, grass or whatever other local materials are available and suitable. The style also has a bearing on the handwork traditions of the area. Particularly noteworthy are those Kothi’s that have been constructed from mud. On several, decorative work have been applied; mud relief, mirror mosaic and various earth colours, transforming the kothis from mundane items, into functional works of art.

A humble Kothi is the most important possession in many a tribal hut. Though without conventional furniture, toilet facilities or a fridge, the tribe’s people are rarely without a kothi. In addition to the kothis, there is a small number of other items associated with Indian village life.

Water pot from Gujarat made from fired clay. This pot has been decorated with pieces of mirror mosaic m an art form known as untucking work.
A RebariKothi, from Kutch, Gujarat. It is made of a mixture of mud and horse or donkey droppings, which are more fibrous than cow dung. The surface is coated with a mirror mosaics, favored by the Rebaris.
A dhol Kothi from Rajasthan, of mud and dung, bearing motifs, of the sun, birds, trees, and swastika.
AKothi product by the Meghwal community from Gujarat’s Banni region. It is fashioned out of a mixture of mud and dung, studded with mirrors and coated with a reddish paint made from geru.
A Gujarati Kothi, made from mud and dung, with a simple, stylized design. Unlike many other kothis, which bear a bunghole near the base, this Kothi is only open at the top. and has a lid to protect the contents.
A kothi from the desert village of Rama. It was made by a Bhil potter and is made of unfired clay. It is for storing a Bajra, a grain used for the making olchapatlis.
A cow dung and mud statue of a woman, adorned with earrings, a nose ring, a necklace and bangles.
A Dang kothi from south Gujarat, Made of wicker, it was once coated with a mixture of mud and dung. Its purpose was primarily for the storage of rice paddy.
A large Rebari kothi, from the Kutch region of Gujarat, decorated in the typical Rebari style, though lacking the mirror work.
A water pot from Gujarat made from fired clay. This pot has been decorated with pieces of mirror mosaic in an art form known as ” ardaek “work.
A mud and dung kothi from Gujarat, simply decorated, coated with gen; and ornamented with a minimal amount of ” ardaekwork “
A pathwari from Rajasthan. One would be placed in a village to commemorate a pilgrimage to one of the holy Hindu sites. Apart from this, they serve no purpose. This example depicts the goddess, Ganga Mata on the front, with elephant and lotus flower motifs. To the sides are images of Lord Ganesh and Lord Shiva..

The Gol Museum

West Zone Cultural Centre — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 09:28:16 +0000

The Gol Museum displays the pooled artifacts of the Anthropological Survey of India and the WZCC. Both bodies own items relating to the daily lives of the tribal peoples, so the combined resources amount to a sizeable, varied, and interesting collection. The exhibits include ladies’ traditional costumes, wooden boxes, utensils and decorations, masks, weapons and musical instruments.

The museum is elegant in its simplicity. The light, airy exhibition gallery spirals into the center of this large, circular building, then spiral out again towards the exit. Nearby is the sculpture park, dedicated to modern abstract forms.

The Chaupal Museum

West Zone Cultural Centre — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 09:25:13 +0000

The Chaupal Museum (houses an assortment of I household items typical to the tribal communities within the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Goa. The : collection is wide-ranging; essential everyday items such as tools, kitchen utensils and an assortment of other kitchenware represent the prosaic side of tribal life, whilst various musical instruments, decorative articles, wooden toys and ornaments give one an idea of the things a typical tribal household would be likely to use in the course of leisure, celebration or worship.

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Sam Hut – Thar Desert, Rajasthan

West Zone Cultural Centre — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 06:53:02 +0000

This large, single-storeyed dwelling is of the type used by middle-class families living in the desert village of Sam, near Jaisalmer. The rooms open directly off three sides of a spacious, rectangular courtyard, and are protected from the fierce rays of the sun and the driving monsoon rains by a wide verandah. A noteworthy feature of the house is the yellow Jaisalmer stone of which the carved pillars are made. The flat roof of the hut is designed so that it can be walked upon, and a flight of steps provides access. It is supported by timbers, which are then crossed with sticks of with Kair wood (Kair is a local shrub), and then plastered on the upper side with meti, a type of clay. The kair wood doors of the Sam hut are exceptionally small; mostly to minimize the problem of sand being blown in during dust storms, and also because the walls provide better insulation from the extreme desert climate than do doors.

As with many of tribes in this part of India, there is a system of segregation of the sexes. The guest room in the front corner of the courtyard has a separate entrance from outside. This will enable a male guest to use the room without having to enter the courtyard where the ladies of the house may stand in front of the pillar be present.

One other feature that is present in many Hindu homes is the tulsi bush. The tulsi, with its medicinal qualities, is revered in the Hindu faith and given a place of honor in a Hindu home- The short, column-like container in the Sam hut is called a tulsi kara, and it is treated with the reverence of a shrine.

Saharia Hut Kota , Eastern Rajasthan

West Zone Cultural Centre — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 06:41:14 +0000

The Saharia tribes are located in the hilly, forested area in the Kota district. The main occupation of the Saharias is gathering forest produce. The walls of their huts are constructed of stone, plastered with mud. The roof may be either tiled or grass thatched.

The exterior of the hut may be whitened with lime-wash and further enhanced with bright and colorful patterns called Mandana, which is generally concentrated around the doorway. The Mandana artwork around the doors of the two Saharia huts here comprises dozens of simple floral motifs arranged into a wide border above the lintels and down the sides of the doors. The interior of the hut is simply a single room; half for sleeping and the other half used as a kitchen, in which a mud kothi is situated for the storage of foods and valuables.

Rathwa Hut – Chohtta Udaipur, Gujarat

West Zone Cultural Centre — Wed, 25 Jul 2018 05:41:15 +0000

This Rathwa Tribal hut is from Rangpur Sadli Village of the Chotta Udaipur area, located in the district of Vadodara, which borders Madhya Pradesh. Agriculture is the main work of the Rathwapeople, but their personal and social lives are full of artistic simplicity in dancing, music, and painting. In addition, they are adept at basket weaving and beadwork. The Rathwa hut is relatively simple. A wall that separates the kitchen from the living area is used for ritualistic purposes, in the form of a distinctive art form.

The paintings, executed in bright, bold colors, .depict a strange variety of subject matter. Animals tend to make up the greater percentage, with horses, both riderless and with mounts, plowing oxen, elephants, peacocks, snakes and even scorpions featured. Dancers, lovers, friends chatting, and most incongruously, a primitive train is also present. The subject matter is gathered from the day-to-day lives and observations of the Rathwas. This art is as much devotional as decorative; the ritual of executing these paintings amounts to an offering to Pithora Baba, the motadev (chief god) of the Rathwa. This ensures Pithora Baba’s protection, and takes place only once every five years, during an all night religious celebration known as a Rath Jogga.

Rama Hut – Jaisalmer Rajasthan

West Zone Cultural Centre — Tue, 24 Jul 2018 12:07:38 +0000

This is one of the most interesting and complex hut compounds within Shilpgram. A plain, high stone and mud wall encompasses the main, inner compound, and a somewhat lower, decorated wall runs around it on three’ sides, but enclosed on the fourth side, leaving a passage of variable width. There are two entrances to the outer compound and two to the inner one, in order that goongat (a Hindu version of the better-known Muslim purdah system) can be maintained. A joint family may share a Rama hut compound, and in addition, a separate guest hut is provided, but this is situated in the outer compound, as is a hut for animals. Within the inner compound, the various domestic animals that the family may possess; cows, goats, even a camel would also be accommodated.

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One of the buildings incorporates a workshop, in which members of the family, using camel and goat hair, make carpets. Two other buildings form the sleeping quarters & within the larger one, the family valuables would be kept, plus food stocks such as sugar, oil and grain. These are generally stored inside a functional, yet decorative mud container, known as a kothi. The interior of this room is intricately decorated with filigree work, executed from a malleable mixture of dung and mud. Colorful patterns are painted around the doors, in an art form known as mandana.

In the desert communities, where water is extremely precious, elaborate arrangements have to be provided for its storage. This takes the form of a raised, sheltered area, known as agadeli for supporting waterpots. Outside the main door to the inner compound, twin platforms provide an area for socializing; one for the ladies and the other for the men.

Just near the door of the inner courtyard is an area screened by a curtain wall. This is the snaniya, the place for ladies to bathe. The men have to make do with washing outside this gate on their platform. The compound has no toilet facilities, and in fact, none of the huts do, as the acceptable routine is to go and relieve one’s self in the field or in the bushes. The huts within the Rama compound make one of those most interesting exhibits in Shilpgram, and to some extent this compound is regarded the ‘piece-de-resistance’ of the village.