New Delhi
Kanha is about 100 km from the Dindori district of Madhya Pradesh, which has the Baiga Chak area dominated by the Baiga tribe. Classified as part of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), the Baigas have always lived in tune with nature, and derived sustenance from the forest. This is the reason why some of their ornaments depend on materials derived and sourced from nature.
Baiga women are known for wearing attractive jewellery pieces, especially multi-strand bead neckpieces in an array of colours, ranging from red and yellow to blue, and even white. Making neckpieces is nothing new for them. The women traditionally make these neckpieces at home and often wear multiple ones.
Vidya Venkatesh of the Last Wilderness Foundation, a non-profit which works on human-wildlife conflict mitigation and management inside the Kanha National Park, runs a jewellery-making initiative involving the local Baiga tribal women.
As part of the initiative, a group of Baiga women makes attractive neckpieces from glass beads procured from wholesalers in Mumbai. The ornaments are handmade.
Sourced From Nature
Apart from the glass bead neckpieces, dried grass is also used to make a special ornament used during weddings and functions. For this, the women source mua grass available in the fields. The ornament is called the beeran mala locally.
According to Gopikrishna Gopisoni, who loves documenting the culture of the Baigas, the popular beeran mala is a long chain-like yellowish ornament attached at the base of the head. It hangs at the back and sways during dances.
“The Baiga women always wear the beeran mala made of mua grass. The grass is collected from the fields and dried at home. The women make small circles which form a long chain almost reaching below the waist. The beeran mala swings to and fro when the Baigas dance. They make it on their own,” Gopisoni told The Indian Tribal.
In Kabirdham district, the mua grassgrows in millet fields, especially in places where kodo millet is cultivated. It also shows the importance of millets in the life of tribals. In Dindori, the Baigas consume small millets like kodo, kutki and sikiya.
“Sometimes, the bark of the parijat or shiuli tree (night jasmine) is also used to make the beeran mala. It yields threads. However, the tree which used to be in plenty along river banks, has now reduced,” rued Gopisoni.
In the villages of Maikal Hills of Kabirdham, the beeran mala is made in October after the paddy harvest is over. For these malas, the mua grass is in high demand. Along with the beeran mala, the Baigas also wear the kalgi made with peacock, bird feathers and wool on the head.The kalgi and the beeran mala as headgears make the Baigas stand out. Along with these two items, the bead neckpieces also add to the charm.
Tribal Heritage
Ashok Tiwari, who had always taken an interest in tribal jewellery as part of his work as a museum curator across India, said that ornamentation is still alive in the tribal areas of the country and women love to wear jewellery.
“Even men wear malas. In many places, it is alive and kicking. People in the tribal areas still live in the midst of their culture and tradition. However, the culture is fading today due to a number of factors and outside influence,” he pointed out.
A visit to Kabirdham revealed that many Baigas now follow other faiths. This, Gopisoni felt, can impact their tradition in future. Already, a lot of changes are taking place in their lifestyle due to heightened contact with the outside world. But, in some areas, like the Baiga areas of Dindori, the tribe is still secluded to a great extent.
