BHOPAL: On Wednesday, the second day of 41st Foundation Day celebrations of IGRMS, traditional Garo, Khasi, Jaintia tribals and Pyntre Orchestra gave mesmerising performances. The performances began with Thali dance –a dance performed after collecting the harvest and on the occasion of wedding in the family. It is performed only by girls and ladies of the clan. After that they performed Crop Sowing Dance which commemorated the sowing of paddy. It is performed by both boys and girls with agricultural equipments. Later Pyntre Orchestra, presented traditional and contemporary instrumental music on traditional musical instruments. The band is group of artisans playing ancient musical instruments of Khasi tribe.
Apart from cultural performances, the two-day national seminar on Cultural heritage of Meghalaya concluded which combined presentation of research papers focusing on Khasi Ethnic cuisine by Anandita Nayak (a doctoral scholar from Jharkhand Central University).
Rest two presentations largely focused on late anthropologist and tribal activist Verrier Elwin — one by his son Ashok Elwin and last one by Tara Douglas, who also showed animation film on various folktales from North-East India taking Elwin as central character. All these presentations created huge impact among the participants as these are densely linked with the theme of the celebration. An exhibition of photographs by Verrier Elwin was inaugurated at Rock Art exhibition hall by Pankaj Rag, IAS (joint secretary, Ministry of Culture) in presence of Ashok Elwin, son of Verrier Elwin.
On this occasion renowned anthropologist Ajit K Danda launched a book ‘Stratification & Social change among tribal – An anthropological study of Sherdukpen of Arunachal’ authored by young anthropologist Rhenchin Megeji.
