Documenting tribal life & culture through museums

Jan 21, 2022

The tribal population of India has played an important role in the country’s history, however their contribution to the freedom struggle and nation-building has often been overshadowed. In a bid to correct the oversight and acknowledge their patriotic acts as they rebelled against British rule, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) has sanctioned to built Tribal Freedom Fighter Museums in 10 states under the centre-sponsored scheme support to Tribal Research Institutes (TRI).

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the first museum, Bhagwan Birsa Munda Memorial Garden cum Freedom Fighter Museum in Ranchi, on the first edition of Janjatiya Gaurav Divas (aka Tribal Pride Day) on November 15 last year. The museum was named after the legendary tribal freedom fighter, Birsa Munda, whose birth anniversary also falls on November 15. These museums will help in showcasing the tribal culture as well as their contribution and take their ideas to newer heights.

Apart from the museum in Ranchi in Jharkhand, the other 9 museums will be seen in states like Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Manipur, Mizoram and Goa. Each state would represent the eminent leaders from their area. The largest museum among them is being built in Rajpipla in Gujarat at a cost of Rs 102.55 crores.

The museum will help in making the new generation aware of the tribal struggle as well as serving the purpose of bringing revenue through tourism in these states. To promote cultural identity the museums will preserve and promote various tribal music, songs, arts and crafts that have been passed down from generations.

These museums will be equipped with multiple forms of hi-tech media and displays that include augmented reality, 3D and 7D holographic projections, and virtual reality which would help in bringing out the message in a much clearer form. The museums will remind us that the struggle was not just about victory and defeat, it was inspiring events that would shape the future of India and build a united nation.