When tribes co-exist with kingdoms

TRIBAL art is a spontaneous response to nature and natural events. Ritual plays a major role, yet it is closely linked to food security, health and survival. The lack of codified rules makes it colourful, vibrant and evocative, the natural expression of people. This has resulted in some of the most wonderful works of art. Bastar is one such region, and the book under review is a wonderful compendium of Bastar's art heritage.

Bastar district in Madhya Pradesh has been described as a "melting pot of races" and, consequently, of cultures. The homeland of the Muria, Muria Gond, Hill Maria, Bison-horn Maria, Halba, Dhurwa, Bhatra and Dorla tribes, it differs from other tribal enclaves in that there were, concurrently, other diverse traditions from surrounding civilisations and those who ruled the area. For Bastar has a history as varied as that of the rest of India. It was a Buddhist enclave in the Fifth/ Sixth Centuries A.D., raided by the Eastern Chalukyas, Cholas, Western Chalukyas and Hoysalaas between A.D. 844 and 1150, and ruled by the Telugu Nagvansis from the 11th to the 14th Centuries. In A.D. 1323, Bastar was conquered by the Kakatiyas of Warangal and became the largest Hindu kingdom to have survived the next few centuries till its merger with the Indian Union in 1947. While the Gonds speak a Dravidian dialect, the lingua franca is Halbi, of Sanskrit origin, spoken by the Haliba, the descendants of the Maratha soldiers recruited from the area. The influence of the various dynasties is most apparent in the art of the region.

Unlike other tribes who lived in splendid isolation, those of the Bastar region had constant interaction with the ruling powers. The authors maintain that it was a weak central monarchy, interdependent on its subjects, resulting in non-interference with the local economy and social customs. Orissa Brahmins were appointed as headmen, with civil and criminal powers, for revenue collection. Baniya merchants from Maharashtra, North Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh and Telugu-speaking communities from Warangal also settled in the region. Each community introduced and incorporated several new cultural facets, making the society a multi-layered one. There are strong Gupta, Chola, Kakatiya, Oriya and central Indian influences in the sculptures of the local artisans, whose knowledge of Hindu iconography was perfect. The region saw a coming together of tribal and Vedic traditions, enriching both in the process.

In recent years, although the rich craft heritage of the Bastar tribes has found its way to many markets and homes, thanks to the efforts of government and non-government agencies, very little is known about them. Many of the beautiful dhokra castings or stone figures of this region cannot be identified by the layman. The lacuna is admirably filled by this book. The approach is both anthropological and ethnographic, covering the limited but important field of art and culture as seen in the shrines, figurines and memorials.

The structures of Bastar range from simple unadorned tribal shrines to ornately decorated village temples. The former is distinguished by the surrounding offerings of terracotta lamps, horses, bulls, snakes and elephants. The latter are structural temples with both Dravida and Nagara vimanas. Important sites include the medieval Nagvansi temples of Barsur, Dantewara, Bhairamgarh, Samlur and Narayanpal whose temples with a melange of medieval architectural and sculptural styles including Chola, Kakatiya, Central Indian, and the typical local style of short bodies and necks, square faces and large eyes. Some, like the Ekandaka Nagara and Dantewara temples of Barsur contain elaborate carvings in styles ranging from the Gupta to the south Indian.

Most of the tribal shrines are situated either in the open or beneath a tree or below a simple shelter. It would have been a welcome addition if similar votive offerings at village shrines elsewhere in the country had been compared or even mentioned, for these belong to settled societies which went on to produce some of India's best folk art, such as the horses of Ayyanaar in Tamil Nadu and Bankura in West Bengal. The tradition of offering animal figures to the local deity is found among tribal and non-tribal societies and obviously belongs to a pan-Indian tradition, maybe even the Vedic ashvamedha.

The objects of worship range from pillars and memorial stones to stylised sculptures of Devi or Shiva, or even the Buddha and Jaina Tirthankaras, now the recipients of tribal animal sacrifices. The popularity of snake stones in this region is probably due to the powerful Naga cult in the area and the rule of the Nagvanshis. The popular deities are forms of Kali and Devi, Bhangaram and his spouse, Mauli. There are apparently two assimilatory processes at work: the first is the identification of female deities with Durga, the second is the interpretation of existing Hindu, Buddhist and Jain deities as local tribal deities. Hero stones, sati stones, a table stone, wooden stump or elaborately carved figures of the goddess vie for positions of honour in the tribal temples which dot the Bastar landscape. The authors have frequently described some figures as "Hindu" and others as "tribal" traditions. Such a division seems arbitrary, although the difficulty in distinguishing the two, in view of the long and subtle interaction, has been acknowledged by the authors.

Of these, the brass figurines have earned fame for their intricate craftsmanship. Made in the lost-wax technique, they are divided into two categories: those to be consecrated in shrines and those given as votive offerings. These are now made out of scrap metal. Even contemporary brass objects range from archaic styles such as Mauryan and Sungan to Maratha warriors carrying guns. The metals are notable for the decorative detail. The brass figurines represent the best of Bastar's art heritage: each piece is unique and crafted with elaborate detail. The practice of decorating with tightly braided metal wires is a distinguishing feature of Bastar's brassware. The subjects range from people to animals and birds, although it is in the depiction of the latter that the craftsman has excelled himself.

Finally, the book records the unique and fascinating tradition of constructing memorials among the Maria and Muria Gonds. Upright stones, horizontal slabs, carved wooden and stone pillars, painted stones, cenotaphs or even a mere heap of stones may commemorate a dead person, uniting his spirit with that of his ancestors. These have been compared to similar traditions elsewhere in south India, especially the Nilgiris. The memorials are decorated with intricate designs and detail, and vivid colours, narrating the life of the deceased. It is here that rich tribal tradition is most apparent.

The authors have extensively documented, in print and photographs, the various shrines, figurines and memorials of Bastar district and must be commended for undertaking a difficult and painstaking effort. Most books on tribal culture are anthropological documents. Although there are appendices on the ghotul or village dormitory and the Creation myth, this book confines itself to the art heritage of the region, treating tribal art as a work of beauty, not a craft alone. The photographic documentation is a valuable addition to our knowledge of stylistic variations and local artistic developments. The lovely old and new brass compositions deserve special mention. Finally, the book is beautifully designed and printed by Vakil and Sons Limited, Mumbai. Unless a book on art is visually beautiful, its purpose is defeated. Altogether, it is a very readable book and an excellent acquisition.

NANDITHA KRISHNA

Bastar Folk Art - Shrines, Figurines And Memorials, Michel Postel and Zarine Cooper, Franco-Indian Research Private Limited, 20, Dr. E. Moses Road, Mumbai - 400011.

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