Ethnographic Studies and Collection

The field based research and documentation initiatives of the Division have given rise to a repository of valuable arts and crafts objects and are presently preserved in the cultural archives of the Division. The core collection comprises originals, reproductions, and reprographic material. It has a rich collection of masks, puppets and scroll paintings.

Collections includes:

• Photography Collection on life styles of different communities.
• Masks from India and many other countries throughout the world.
• Puppets (leather puppets, glove puppets, rod puppets, string puppets etc).
• North Eastern Textiles.
• Phulkari, Kantha, Rabari, Chikankari Embroidery.
• Scrolls (Patua, Pattam Katha, Devnarayan ki Phad etc).
• 1200 meter Mahabharata scroll by Santokba Dudhat.
• 250 meter Indira Priyadarshini Scroll by Santokba Dudhat.
• Nakshi dolls from Andhra Pradesh and Krishna dolls from Manipur.
• Paintings (Madhubani, Gond, Kalighat, Bhil, Kalamkari, Pata Chitra etc)
• Bamboo craft and basketry from North East India.
• Milada Ganguly Collection comprising rare Naga artefacts and paintings from Nagaland.

• 46 shadow puppets on Ramayana theme from Karnataka
• 4 Soura paintings from Odisha
• 15 Masks & 20 costumes of Ramman – Religious and Ritual Theatre of Garhwal
• Kavad & Ramji Ki Phad from Rajasthan
• Clay Toys (Ram & Sita ) from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
• Pattamkatha from Telangana
• Sikki Grass Items (Ram, Lakshman, Sita) from Bihar
• Stone Carving from Bihar
• Leather Puppets from Anantapur Dist. (A.P)
• Zari Zardozi from Old Delhi
• Miniature Paintings from New Delhi

 

Artefacts related to Ramlila:

• Metal Bells
• A Dholak (Musical Instrument)
• A Ghanta (Musical Instrument)
• A Naal (Musical Instrument)
• A pair of Ghungroo (Musical Instrument)
• A Chimta (Musical Instrument)
• A Bhapang (Musical Instrument)
• A Ravanhathha (Musical Instrument)
• A Mashak (Musical Instrument)
• A Khadtal (Musical Instrument)
• A pair of Manjira (Musical Instrument)
• A Plain Shankh
• A Panchmukhi Shankh
• A Shaligram Stone
• A Shaligram Fossil
• A terracotta replica of ‘Battle of Ram and Makaraksh Rakshash’
• A terracotta replica of Ram redeeming Ahalya
• Five Molela tiles depicting various scenes of the Ramayana
• Three Ramayana based replicas from Allahabad Museum
• Painted wooden hands and feet of Ram and Sita
• A Ram Durbar carved in Neem Wood
• Eight Nakshi Dolls based on the various characters of the Ramayana
• Replica of Ramsiya Coin (From Bharat Kala Bhavan)
• A Painting by Sh. Shrikant Chougule depicting Shri Ram, Sita and Dashavtar
• Set of Ramayana based Ganjifa cards
• A Ramayana Palm leaf manuscript
• Set of ornaments and headgears used in Ramlila (Vyomesh Shukla)
• Seven Ramayana based Scrolls of Akshay Bariki
• Calligraphic Panels
• Ram Dala ki Phad
• Two Ramnaami headgears, four Chaadars and one pair of Ghungroos.