SHANTI BAI – GOND ARTIST of MADHYA PRADESH

Shanti Bai of Lalpur has been practising the art of gudna or tattooing since she was ten years old. For many years she has been working with her husband, Marawi, and now her daughters Mangli Marawi, Meena Bai and Jamni Marawai have all taken up tatooing. It is a tradition of Gond Pardhans to tattoo the bodies of the Baigas, the medicine people, of the Gond community. For three to four months, after the rains, they go to the Baiga villages to tattoo the women’s arms, legs and torsos. Shanti Bai has adapted many of the tattoo designs to paper and canvas.

Mangli Bai is not only a gudna maker, she leads a professional troupe of young musicians and dancers who perform karma dances. They have started travelling to different parts of the country with their dances and songs.