Tucked into the Queens Garden, near Koregaon Park, just off the Old Circuit House, the Tribal Cultural Museum (also known as the Tribal Museum, Pune) is part of the Tribal Research & Training Institute, Maharashtra.
Established in 1965, the museum aims to preserve and exhibit the diverse art, craft, rituals, and everyday material culture of the tribal communities of Maharashtra. It forms a bridge to understanding how over 45 tribal groups such as Halbi, Varli, Gond, Bhil, Korku, Madia, Kawar, Koli Dhor, etc. live or lived, in terms of their arts, beliefs, tools, clothing, and housing.
The collections are organized across multiple sections. An introductory gallery showing photographs and key artefacts from tribes like Dhodia, Ka Thakar, Katkari, Madia, etc. A different section houses the material culture as well like tools, agricultural implements, household items, hunting gear. Tribal art & craft such as Warli paintings, bamboo crafts, mask forms, basketry are also present. The section of ornamentation and deities is stunning, housing the tribal jewellery, ritual objects, devotional figures, masks, etc. It’s one of the few places in Pune dedicated to indigenous heritage, so if you’re curious about tribal cultures of Maharashtra, it gives a more grounded, material view than just texts.The exhibits are tactile and varied: masks, tools, dwellings, rituals and artistic expression. This helps to understand how culture, environment, craft, belief, and daily life intertwine. Because it’s not as crowded or well-known as other museums, it offers a quieter, more intimate experience. Inside the Tribal Cultural Museum there is a rich and varied collection of artefacts that bring to life the daily practices, beliefs, crafts, and rituals of Maharashtra’s tribal communities. There are traditional musical instruments (wind, rhythm, string types) used by different tribes and my personal favourite is the ‘Ghangli’-a string instrument made with the body of two pumpkins, resembling a veena; agricultural and hunting tools (bows, arrows, fish-traps, implements for farming) that show how people lived off the land. The museum has Warli paintings, with their simple geometric motifs and earthy themes; Bohada masks from districts like Thane and Nashik, representing deities, spirits, animals or mythic figures; ornaments and jewellery made of metal, beads, shells that are used for adornment, ritual or social symbolism. Also household utensils in clay, gourd, wood, bamboo, bamboo basketry, wood-craft like carved combs and marriage pillars, replicas of tribal huts, and everyday objects like containers and tools. There are also photographs, costumes, idol & deity figures, all serving to give a rounded picture of the tribal material culture.
Some Unique Artefacts that caught my eye are the Hichadi or Wooden Comb, this is a carved wooden comb made by a Madia boy for the girl he intends to marry. It is a symbolic gift marking their engagement. The DevMundha or Marriage Pillars are beautiful, decorative wooden pillars carved by a Madia bridegroom after engagement. These can take a year or more to complete. They are displayed in the Hut/Wood-Craft sections and are unique because they mix artistic and ritual significance.
However, my favourite section was the Copper Motif section in the room of jewellery and ornaments. The amount of talent, patience and practice required to create absolutely detailed and stunning pieces of art on a piece of metal as small as a 5 rupee coin is so fascinating to me. My personal favourite was the Supli, a tak or murti created by embossing a raised figure on a metal surface in memory of a deceased woman. This piece is especially meaningful, as it offers a perspective that contrasts with the usual absence of women in documented history, challenging what we often assume.
All in all, visiting the museum was a very enriching experience. It gave me insight to the everyday life of the tribes and tribal people and sheds light on the vast and varied culture that has existed in our land for centuries, truly a must-visit.
Pictures of the above mentioned items:
Dev mundha 
