Under the museum series ‘Exhibit of the Month’ of Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, a traditional object is being displayed in the appearance for a whole month. The exhibit for the month of April — ‘Ringa’ is on display from April 1 in the indoor exhibition building — Veethi Sankul.
The ‘Exhibit of the Month’ has been inaugurated by Vice Chancellor of Barkautullah University Prof Nisha Dubey.The Bondo tribe has very less population and amongst the most particularly venerable tribal group found in Malkangiri and undivided Koraput districts of Odisha.
The small piece of woven cloth Ringa sometimes known as Nadikis, made of Kerangfibre (Calotropisgigantea)- a deciduous shrub and usually used by the women of this community to cover their lower body. They mainly use this stripped garment as an important cloth which is tied around the waist in such a way that the left thigh remains bare.
The museum established a shrine of a Forest deity ‘Banbibi’ worshipped by the people of Sundarban region. The shrine, also known as ‘Banbibi ki Than’, has been inaugurated by Vice Chancellor, Barkautullah University, Prof Nisha Dubey and Director, IGRMS, Mr. Arun Kumar Shrivastava.
Sundarban and its adjoining areas in the districts of 24 Parganas have a rich cult tradition that plays a dominant role in molding the behaviour and activities of the people living in Sundarban. Banbibi is known as the saviour of the forest and is worshipped by the ‘Baulis’ (wood cutter), ‘Maules’ (Honey collectors) and the fisherman communities prior to entering the forest in the hope that she will protect the forest goers from the attack of tiger.
The mighty tiger has been venerated as the King of the forest since time immemorial. In Sundarban he is worshiped as the ‘Tiger God’ or ‘Dakshin Ray’. The people of the Sundarban have high regard for the tiger. The legend of Banbibi and the tiger is intimately associated with the lifestyle, social, cultural and religious beliefs of the local people.