Sunlight streams through the foliage, dappled by the lush forest canopy. Thick vegetation, gurgling rivers, gorges, incessant birdcall… this is the beautiful Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve. As you go deeper, you will find habitations and settlements, houses with thatched or tiled roofed structures… these would be homes of the Gond people, one of the largest tribal populations in Madhya Pradesh. The Gonds are Adivasis – the first dwellers, the original inhabitants of the land. Living off the land, and in a sense, living in the lap of the land.
Exploring Pachmarhi gives travelers a unique opportunity to experience the lives and lifestyles of fascinating tribal communities. A peep into what life has been for humans for centuries before technology irrevocably changed our lifestyles. A glimpse that can leave you wistful, longing once more for a genuine connection with the earth.
The Gond tribe is so dated, it even finds prominent mention in the Ramayana. Another piece of trivia adds a fascinating twist to the tale: the Gonds have the Gond Ramayani, their own version of the epic – but with Lakshmana, Rama’s younger brother, as the protagonist!
A Distinct Worldview
A study of the Gond view of the world can be interesting, for it seems both familiar and different. In many ways, they adopt common Indic traditions like following the Luni-Solar calendar. They also divide the year into twelve months: Chet, Besakh, Jeth and so on. The year is divided into three seasons: garmi (summer), barsat (rainy), and jara (winter).
Living as they do in the ever-regenerating wilderness, the Gonds hold the forest to be eternal, as they do the earth and the universe. They prioritize living in the present over saving for the future – innate wisdom that prevents them from overexploiting resources.
Themes of Gond Art
One of the best known aspects about the Gonds is their art. Deceptively simple, essentially this is linear art with a sharp outline which is filled in with bright colors and a wide variety of lines and small dots. In this style, Gond artists manage to create some stunning imagery about the world they know so intimately. Rich in motifs and themes, their oeuvre includes various animal depictions.
Myths, legends and folktales as well as local deities find expression in the paintings. On the other hand, the quotidian daily life of the Gond people is equally represented. The Mahua Tree, every part of which is used in one way or the other, is an important symbol representing the Tree of Life. Of late, aeroplanes, bicycles, cars and technology have also found their way into Gond art.
The artists often use naturally-sourced colors for artwork. For instance, black is derived from charcoal, while yellow, white and red are extracted from various soils. For shades of green, the artists depend on cow dung and bean leaves for a darker hue. All of which come together in a magnificent tapestry of expression.
The community is so rooted in nature, that even a brush with them leaves modern city folks yearning for a simpler life, where less is infinitely more.
The Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve (4,926 sq km) spans most of the Satpura Range and encompasses three wildlife sanctuaries. It is home to large populations of the Gond tribe. The Reserve is well connected by air, train and road. It is about 260km from Jabalpur and 230km from Bhopal. The nearest station is Pipariya (50km) and it is also possible to reach here via Itarsi (150 kms).