Madhya Pradesh Tribal Museum at its premises is organising a 16-day long workshop ‘Sanjha Phooli’ highlighting the tradition of making pictograph and belief associated with the most creative festival Sanja of unmarried girls of Malwa region.
During the fortnight, known as pitra- paksha (the fortnight of the ancestors), young girls emboss various motifs on walls of their houses. These motifs are embossed in cow-dung every day and are scraped off the next day. In their place new motifs are drawn. This process is repeated everyday till the 13th day, when the process of drawing a full blown Sanjhi known as kila kot (literally-fortified dwelling) begins.
Everyday new motifs are added to the ones drawn on the previous day and finally the pictograph depicting the story of Sanjhi is completed in last three days in a sixteen day celebration. Traditionally, unique sketches are made during Sanja fest which includes Patla on Purnima, Pankha on Ekam, Bajot on Beej, Chaupad on Chauth, Men-Women on panchmi, Chhabdi on chhath, Swastik on satam, Eight petals flower on aatham, Elderly couple on Navmi, lamp on dashmi, Kel image on gyaras, Bhandhanwar or house hanging on baras and fort kot from teras to amavas.
Sanja festival begins with purnima of bhadrapadh and concludes on sarva pitra amavasya with fort kot. In today’s folk songs presentation, artists recited songs related to Sanja festival in chorus with making of Sanja image of fort kot. There will be musical presentation of Sanja’s folk songs on October 4. Entry is free in the workshop which is to be continued till October 4.