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Bharatiya
Lok Kala Mandal is a cultural institution based in Udaipur in
Rajasthan state in India engaged in studying folk art, culture, songs
and festivals of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh and to
popularise and propagate folk arts, folk dances and folk literature.
It was set up in 1952 by Devilal Samar. The institution has a museum
that exhibits collection of folk articles from Rajasthan like
rural-dresses, ornaments, puppets, masks, dolls, folk musical
instruments, folk deities and paintings. There is puppet theater (Kathputli)
too where puppet shows are held at regular interval.
Mewar region of Rajasthan is known for its rich art and culture.
Actually, the local handicrafts and things of art of this region have
always been cherished all over the world. With the intention to
maintain this rich tradition, Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandal took the
initiative, to start an institution, to encourage the local arts and
crafts of Mewar. Bhartiya Lok Kala Museum is a part of their program
that displays the best art and craft of Mewar.
As one enters the gateway of the museum, there is a hall displaying
the theater objects. In the neighboring hall, you will trace a
remarkable collection of tribal folk musical instruments and
ornaments. Following this hall, you would reach to a puppet theater.
You can actually watch a puppet show that occurs at regular intervals. |
Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandir |
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On the
opposite side of this theater, there are designs of henna handprints,
decorated cow dung floors and terra-cotta devras (small shrines) that
come from the village of Molela near Nathdwara.
The museum
portrays the remarkable collection of over past 44 years, gathered by
the Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandal. To provide a summarized idea of the folk
heritage of India, traditional attires, ornaments, miniature paintings
and many other art objects are displayed here. Bhartiya Lok Kala
Museum of Udaipur definitely requires a visit to closely observe the
artistic and culturally rich region of Rajasthan. |
