Memorials of Madhya Pradesh

by K. L. Kamat

Illustrated Memorials

These are in the form of sculptured stones, carved wood and painted slabs. The illustrations are intended to either glorify or depict the life style of the dead. Hence the dead man is given a conspicuous place and depi8cted as performing various activities. In simpler memorials, a favorite plant or animal of the dead may represent him. The sun and the moon are included as the witnesses to the funeral and memorial erection ceremonies. The sun is carved as full moon or blades of a rotating fan! In many memorials, the moon is in upside down position! The illustrations are restricted from one to eight panels, which are separated from each other by geometrical designs.

A Hero in the Forest
Wooden Memorial

Artistic value of these memorial s vary greatly. Some of them are well-planned, executed and hence have excellent composition and three dimensional effects. However, the tribals include these illustrations to appease the evil spirits of the dead and hence least attention is given to their artistic values. All the same it is undeniable that their shadow type figures have their won charm and visual effect.

The wooden memorials cannot stand the ravage of the weather, termite and fungal attack. Hence most of them do not last more than a decade. Those buried in the soil are lost within a few weeks. However, some of them, preserved in different museums are as much as fifty years old. The granite stones last for centuries, but often they are defaced, deformed and worn out by weather, human vandalism and lichen attack.

Memorials of Madhya Pradesh
Origins | Distribution  | Installation 
Non-illustrated Memorials  | Illustrated | Wooden
Sculpted  & Painted Memorials | Religious
References