Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Surteli, a group of Pardhan Gond women, showcased their journey through artworks at an exhibition, Mai /I, for the first time at Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS) in the city on Saturday.
The word, surtheli, is inspired by Pardhan Gondi word surta (memory) and it is also the name of an orange-coloured flower that blooms along riverbanks from February to April. The group formed by Gond artist Roshni Vyam aims to share and preserve their knowledge of cultural traditions.
In April 2025, Roshni and several other Pardhan Gond women living in Bhopal came together to laugh, talk and share their experiences. They connected their group's name to their tradition and chose, surteli, a plant that awakens memories.
The exhibition was jointly inaugurated by Padma Shri recipient Gond artist Durga Bai Vyam. She has exhibited her work, winnowing basket (bansa supa). In the painting, she sees herself and all women as mothers who like birds love and care for their young ones no matter what the situation is.
