Under the 19th series of its online exhibition by Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS), (on Thursday ‘A myth story’ related to myths of ancestors prevalent in Sindhudurg region of Maharashtra was presented. IGRMS has been presented online with its basic information and photographs and videos.
About this exhibition, Praveen Kumar Mishra, Director, IGRMS said that, in this episode of online exhibition series we are introducing you to “Mythological Trail exhibition portrays the inner essence of the tribal and folk life and their worldviews through indigenous art forms. On the theme of tribal and folk myths, so far this is the only exhibition of its kind in the country. It is believed that a basic understanding of myths is expedient to the desire of knowing a culture. Somehow the myths are deeply intertwined with life and culture of the tribal and folk communities. Ancestral worship is prevalent among most of the communities throughout India. They are worshipped for the well-being and protection from evil influences. One such story of ancestor and the associated myth which is prevalent in Sindhudurg of Maharashtra is “The myth of jeteer”.
About the myths of ancestors prevalent in Sindhudurg region of Maharashtra P. Anuradha, Museum Associate told that the myth of Jeteer is painted in the Chitrakathi style tells about the eventual worshiping of the ancestors as god. When Jeteer was very small, his sister was married and sent off to a distant village. Soon after, his parents left this world, and he was brought up by a kind shepherd.
Though the shepherd did not live long, by the time Jeteer was grown up enough to take the shepherd’s son and set out in search of his sister. In a village called Narul, they stopped at a house for the night. They asked the woman of the house to cook for dinner the rice they were carrying.When the woman sat down to eat, tears started rolling down her eyes. And she said to herself, the rice smells the lake water in my village, the brother recognized her long lost sister and pleaded her to accompany him home for a few days.
The brother in law however got furious with the stranger’s behaviour and cut off his head. The shocked shepherd ran towards his village Tudas with the severed head in this hands. On his way the places where his blanket and stick fell came to be called Kamble veer and DandyacheGadwo respectively.