Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya organised another chapter of its popular series, Curatorial Talk on Friday, where Museum Associate of Manav Sangrahalaya, Pritam Choudhary spoke on ‘Importance of Traditional Weekly Market in Tribal life - An Observation with Special Reference to Dindori District of Madhya Pradesh)’. The lecture was chaired by Prof Sarit Kumar Chaudhuri (Director, IGRMS). Earlier, Rakesh Bhatt (Assistant Keeper) gave brief profile of the keynote speaker.

Choudhary commenced his lecture by describing the importance of traditional weekly market in tribal life. He said, “Market is an important part of economic system. It fulfilled the various needs of human from simple to complex or modern society. Usually tribal simple society lives in the remote dense forest.”

As per the census of 2011 the ratio of tribal population is 8.6 per cent in the total population of India. There are 43 major tribes in Madhya Pradesh out of which 3 tribes are under Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups. The tribals form 21.1 per cent of the total population of the state. In the present study markets of Bajag, Chada, Dhurkuta and Pandripani villages of Dindori district of Madhya Pradesh are selected. The tribals get the daily use items from periodical markets organised at one particular place.

They bring different agriculture products or forest produce char- chironji, harra, bahera, Amla, Aam, Bhilma, Roots, Muhlaien leaf, Mushroom etc. to the market for sell or exchange to get other essential items. Market are useful not only from economic point of view but also has important role in performing social affairs. In the present study three types of exchanges has been observed first simple exchange, second reciprocal exchange and third trade exchange.