Under the popular museum series ‘Exhibit of the Month’ of Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, a traditional object is displayed in the appearance for a whole month. The exhibit for the month of October, 2021 - ‘RETIO’ - a traditional Spinning Wheel of the Rabari Community from Kutch, Gujarat, is on display in the indoor exhibition building – Veethi Sankul.
The 'exhibit of the month' was inaugurated by Sri Raju Naoroibam, Head of Office, National Archives of India, Regional Office, Bhopal. P. K. Mishra and renowned people present on this occasion. This exhibit of the month had been composed by N. Sakmacha Singh, Sangrahalaya Associate.
About the exhibit displayed in the exhibition N. Sakmacha Singh, Sangrahalaya Associate told that Rabari, a pastoral nomad historically known as camel herders, claimed Jaisalmer and Marvad (Marwar) in Rajasthan as their homeland, but the historical turbulence of Islamic invasion and conflicts in the region, which began in the 7th century C.E., led them to flee by the 11th century C.E.
They began to live in diverse geographical regions till the end of the 15th century C.E. The wave of dispersal in later phases through political divisions of nation states and natural catastrophies as well had greatly impacted their traditional lifestyle, segmenting them into distinct sub-groups at different regions.
Although these changes, brought by their historical dispersal, they still retain their traditional cultural identity continuing various archaic elements of their past culture.