Prof Dr Avinash Kolhe explores Sarmaya Arts Foundation's remarkable exhibition, Chola Maati: Ballad of the Bards, celebrating the artistic legacy, rituals, music and enduring cultural traditions of the Pradhan Gond community through paintings, photographs and storytelling.

Mumbai's vibrant art calendar has found one of its most compelling cultural events in Sarmaya Arts Foundation's exhibition, Chola Maati: Ballad of the Bards. Inspired by the landmark publication Chola Matti: Pradhan Gond Rituals from Birth to Death, the exhibition offers visitors an immersive journey into the living traditions of the Pradhan Gond community through paintings, photography, music and oral histories. It is both an artistic celebration and an important act of cultural preservation.

A Living Archive of Pradhan Gond Culture

Mumbai-based Sarmaya Arts Foundation has a huge space in Fort. It has now mounted a unique exhibition based on the book Chola Matti: Pradhan Gond Rituals from Birth to Death. First things first. The Gonds are one of the largest tribal communities, located largely in Madhya Pradesh. The word Gond comes from kond, which means green mountains in the Dravidian idiom. The Pradhan Gonds are a sub-tribe of the Gonds and are regarded as their bards and genealogists.

As with many tribal cultures that faced neglect in the early years of the Republic of India, the Gonds too remained overlooked. In the 1980s, however, renowned artist J. Swaminathan, then Director of Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal, was building the Roopankar wing, where tribal art and urban art could be displayed together. He dispatched his students into the interiors of Madhya Pradesh in search of tribal artists. This is how the late Jangarh Singh Shyam was discovered, and how this remarkable art form became known across the world. Jangarh Singh Shyam died in his forties, but his name became immortal through the distinctive genre of Gond painting he pioneered, now known as Jangarh Kalam in his honour.

A Book That Preserves Tradition
The book Chola Matti: Pradhan Gond Rituals from Birth to Death is authored by Padmaja Srivastava, artist Mayank Singh Shyam and photographer Komal Bedi Sohal, and is published in English and French by Somaiya Vidyavihar University and Mapin Books. The idea behind the book is to preserve the unique but fading art of the Pradhan Gond community. No wonder it contains a large number of photographs. The book is dedicated to the memory of the pioneering artist Jangarh Singh Shyam.

The exhibition Chola Maati: Ballad of the Bards is a different kind of exhibition, acquainting art lovers with the unique traditions of the Pradhan Gonds. To make this process of understanding more viewer-friendly, short films are on view that further explain the nuances of Pradhan Gond art. In addition to paintings, there are photographs and music that narrate the mythology, traditions and the community's perspective on life and the environment.

The exhibition also informs visitors about the way of life of Jangarh's people, who hail from Patangarh village in Madhya Pradesh. Mayank Singh Shyam pays homage to the birthplace of his father, Jangarh Singh Shyam, by painting exclusively with colour pigments sourced from the clay, flowers and leaves of Patangarh—a first for any artist working in this genre.

Stories, Songs and Cultural Memory

Last week, a unique walk-through was conducted by artist Mayank Singh Shyam and Pardhan-Gond Shaman Balaram Vyam. It was a different kind of guided experience because it was accompanied by music. The duo was joined by community members Bharat Singh, Phagani Bai and Shankhi Bai. Through stories and songs, they guided audiences through the rituals and cultural practices that shape different stages of life within the community.

A Must-Visit Exhibition
On Saturday morning, another walk-through was conducted by Paul Abraham, founder of Sarmaya. A well-known art patron and collector, his scholarship on tribal art was evident throughout the session and greatly enriched the experience for visitors.
The exhibition continues until 12 July and deserves to be experienced by anyone interested in India's tribal heritage, indigenous art traditions and the continuing legacy of the Pradhan Gonds.