the gonds of madhya pradesh
TRANSCRIPT
NFSC and JATAN
Our Collaborators
J A T A N trustBaba Maya ramNagendraSatyendraMahesh Bhai
ContentDocumentationArchivesDissemination of Information
DocumentationFocusVillages visited and people metRituals and ceremonies
FocusGond DictionaryRice goddess Folktales and Folk songs surrounding the
medicinal plantsPaintings and Metal crafts of GondFestivalsClan structure
Gond DictionaryThe Gond dictionary – G.C. TrenchThe myth about the origins of Gondi languageRelationship between Gondi and Dravidian
languagesOrigin of the scriptGondi language relationship with Indus script
Gond DictionaryMYTH ABOUT THE ORIGINS OF GONDI
LANGUAGEThe story of Kupar and Sambhu MahadevaThe words are created by vocalizing the
notes created from the drum The first formed word is about his self
existence and he addresses himself by the pronoun “ANA” meaning “I”
Gond DictionaryRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GONDI AND
DRAVIDIAN LANGUAGE
NumbersOne - Undi - OnnuTwo - Rand - IranduThree - Mund -
MoonruFour - Nalung - Naalu
Gond DictionaryORIGIN OF THE GONDI SCRIPT
It is based on the Ashokan Brahmi script which dates back to third century B.C
Relationship between Gondi and Indus script
Gondi script
Medicinal PlantsFolk tales and folk songs around the
medicinal plantsA farm with 300 varieties of medicinal plants
near Pipariya
Paintings and metal crafts of Gond
FestivalsThey celebrate atleast 23 festivals which are
unique to Gonds.They differ from the mainstream Hindu
celebration in many ways. (eg) They celebrate Dasshera not to celebrate the victory of Ram but be worried about the demise of Ravan.
Our collaborators are documenting a festival called Gond Madai right now.
Clan structureThere are 106 GothrasThere are 12 main godsEach Gothra is having a separate totem
symbol of plants and animals to which they do not any harm
Villages visited and people metPalia PipariyaDokhri Kheda,
Anhoni, Khurshikappa, Singanama, Matkuli
AndhraJunhetaKodiyaKhumkal,
Dobighat,Arra Dongri, Akiya Panchayat
P.S. UikeShanti Raj KhusreManmohan BattiQueen Raj ShriDr. Motiravan
KangaliProf. Vijay DuaPayodhiKallu Uike and
Narendra Uike
Part of M.P map
Palia Pipariya
Anhoni, Dokhri keda, Khurshikappa, Matkuli, Singanama
Andhra
Junheta
Kodiya
Arra Dongri, Aakiya Panchayat,Dobighat, Kumkal
P.S.Uike
Manmohan Batti
Queen Raj Shree
Dr. Motiravan Kangali
Rituals and ceremoniesFUNERAL
Ceremony on the day of deathThird day ceremonyTenth day ceremony
TONSURING
Sixth day ceremony after birth
Rituals and ceremoniesUNIQUE TO GONDI CULTURE
They go around the fire in anticlockwise direction
There is no separate community to do the funeral work
The son lights the fire at the foot with the smouldering dung cake brought from the house by walking backwards and setting fire
As the pyre is on fire sickle and axe is thrown into the fire. Here only axe’s handle is thrown into the fire
Rituals and ceremoniesUNIQUE TO GONDI CULTURE
On the way back home the master of ceremonies breaks a branch from cherwa or bor tree and place it across the way leading into the village. Then he steps over and walks towards the village. Other men follow.
Rituals and ceremoniesUNIQUE TO GONDI CULTURE
A few yards from the house the master of ceremonies with the toes of the left foot picks up the pebble.Without bending down he lifts his foot till his hand can reach the pebble. Then without turning around he hands it to the next man walking behind.The stone is passed from one man to another till the last person and its thrown over his shoulders backwards.
Rituals and ceremoniesUNIQUE TO GONDI CULTURE
When they return home from cremation ground they place a light in the middle of the courtyardd. Then a flour is spread on the ground infrontof the light and covered with a new basket upside down.then the people go for a smoke/liquorand when they come backif they see disturbance of the pile of flour then they decide that the life spirit of the deceased had returned.
Rituals and ceremoniesINFLUENZES FROM THE MAINSTREAM
CULTURE
In former times people were only buried. After getting in touch with Hindu customs people are burned.
No Brahmin priest presides over the ritual and ceremonies in older times.
ArchivesWriting down the day to day report on the
data notebook softwareCollection of photographs, audio and video
files on the computerWriting logins for the collected data in
EnglishCreating wordlist in language explorer using
the available dictionaryUploading the collected information on the
wiki
Data Notebook
Language Explorer
Things to be done in FutureEstablishing the digital community archive in
Kodiya village or Aakiya panchayat and continue the research.
Writing down the logins in native language and transliterate
Dissemination of information in the archives to the community members through unique system of search
Rearranging the structure of the archives according to the world view of the people using language as a tool.