For people who love to get to know the cultural diversity of Rajasthan, the Bharatiya Lok Kala Museum else known as Udaipur folk museum is one of the most popular museums in Rajasthan. This is in Udaipur and it is the home to a varied collection of different traditional Rajesthani folk articles. Here there is a rare exhibit of different ornaments, rural dresses, masks, puppets and dolls as well as different musical instruments as well as paintings all which reflect the Rajesthani culture. This museum is located within the premises of the Bharatiya Lok Kala Museum that is near the Chetek Circle in the city of Udaipur.

The Initiative Behind the Museum

The Rajesthani region called Mewar was known for its richness in culture and arts. Across the globe, the local handicrafts and various other things of art have always been cherished. The Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandir started an institute with the view to maintain the richness of the Rajesthani tradition. This institute focused on encouraging the local crafts and art of the Mewar district. The Bharatiya Lok Kala Museum is part of the program to exhibit and display the best crafts as well as art of Mewar.

For over the past 44 years, the Bharatiya Lok Kala Museum has collected a huge variety of art effects which can be seen in the museum. This gives a good idea to people about the cultural heritage of India. From Ornaments to traditional attires, various kinds of art effects and objects as well as miniature paintings are all displayed in the museum. The Bharatiya Lok Kala Museum of Udaipur is a place that every visitor needs to go to take a close look at the culture and artistic richness of the Rajesthani region.

What to Expect inside

When a person enters the museums gateway, there is a hall that displays a variety of theatre objects. Besides that visitors will also be able to see a breathtaking collection of different traditional folk ornaments as well as musical instruments. After that, a person can sit and enjoy a puppet show at the puppet theatre which follows after the hall. There are shows that happen in regular intervals. The opposite side of the theatre visitors will find handprints with different henna designs, small shrines or devras made from terra-cotta, as well as decorated cow dung floors which come from a village called Molela close to Nathdwara.

The Puppet Show

One of the most popular attractions of the museum, the puppet show is known for its production. Some of the shows that are featured here are The Ramayana which has 108 puppets all related to the different characters of the Ramayana, SANGTHAN MAIN BAL which is an Indian folk tale. The story revolves around a sparrow whose children were trodden by an elephant. In order to teach the elephant a lesson, a plan was designed by a frog, bee, and the carpenter bird. Another show features the ever loved circus where one can get to see different scenes which show the new generation of circus stunts.

The Different Folk dances which are featured

Gavri Festival

Another addition to this museum is the famous folk dance drama called Gavri. This dance is performed by the Rajesthani tribe called Bhil tribe. This is a one day festival that takes place every year in the Bharatiya Lok Kala Museum.

Some other folk dances that are featured here is the

Bhavai

This is a dance where the dancer has to manage a tumbler and pots and is also known as a balancing dance.
Terataal - This is a popular Kamad tribal dance where women wear thirteen  small bells on the hands and feet. This is a dance that is generally featured at night.

Kalbeliya is a dance that is very close to the snake charmers. Here a person can get to see the fluid and graceful movements of the snake.

Another beautiful folk dance is the Sadariya. This is a dance based on the marriages that happen at a young age. This dance reflects the emotions that come out during the time of marriage.

Some other dances would be Ghoomra which is part of Mewar region tribal culture, Tippani-Dandiarass where dancers use sticks called tippani and match the music beats. Dang Lila is a group dance where the men and women use sticks which are bigger than the tippani. Gorbandhan is the dance of the deserts of Rajasthan, here it shows how women make different ornaments which is then decorated on camels.

Timings

A person can visit the Bharatiya Lok Museum anytime between 9 am to 6 pm daily. The place is closed on public holidays.

Fee

The entrance fee for Indians is Rs. 20/-, for foreigners it is Rs. 35/-. If you wish to take a still camera then it is Rs. 10/- while a video recording would be priced at Rs. 50/-.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit the museum would be during the months of November to March