Exhibit of the week- 156
(25th to 31st May 2023)

Bagha Munda
A wooden mask of Tiger
Bagha Munda is a wooden mask of tiger used during tiger dance (Bagha Nacha). It is an imitative dance of the animal among the tribals who used to perform it before and after hunting expedition. Now it is performed as a popular folk dance in Ganjam district of Odisha. The dance is associated with the famous Thakurani Yatra (the festival of the mother goddess or Durga). During the performance, dancers are surrounded by a group of musicians who by beating the Changus (percussion instruments) encourage the dancers to dance. In this dance form, the body of the dancers is painted in bright yellow and black in a striped pattern to give the look of a tiger.

The dance form includes encounters between tiger and ox, encounters between tiger and hunter, and tiger preying on a horse, etc. With amazing synchronization, the dancers move so artistically as per the rhythm played, and the movements of the tiger appear realistic. Dhola, Mahuri instruments are played to create the environment and rhythmic sense. Roaring, watching, jumping, and running movements are displayed in this dance. The masks are traditionally made out of Paladhua wood by the Chitrakara community.

Acc. No. - T/2015.187
Local Name - Bagha Munda, a wooden mask of Tiger
Community - Chitrakar
Locality - Ganjam, Odisha
Measurement- Height - 33.5cm, Breadth- 51cm, Thickness- 44cm

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Date: May 25, 2023