Under the latest and popular online series of Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya under 'Exhibit of the Week’ displayed the Ruieh, wooden ritual plate collected from 1989. The Nicobarese community of Andaman & Nicobar. Its Measurement Height –197 cm., Width-105 cm. displayed in the audience as The First Exhibit of the month of March, 2021 through official website, Facebook, Instagram and twitter page of the IGRMS.
In this regard Praveen Kumar Mishra, Director, IGRMS said that Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (National Museum of Mankind), Initially this series will focus on the masterpieces from its collection which are considered as unique for their contribution to the cultural history of a particular ethnic group or area. Ruieh, the wooden ritual plate of Car-Nicobarese community is a medium to express their belief system towards the Universe. They believe that each and every people as well as objects of their Universe are possessed by a spirit. The deceased members get re-assimilated into their universe in the form of spirits which must be honoured and ritually propitiated to bring good fortune to the family.
Regarding this object Sudeepa Roy said that These wooden ritual plates provide a powerful means for communicating with the spiritual and ancestral world. The spirits may appear in different forms like sacred birds, mythological characters or combination of both. The painted board are made by mineluan- the Shaman, on behalf of the family or the village in order to repel bad spirits. It also attracts good spirits to the place in which it is installed to cure the misfortune, illness and death.