Location: national highway 8, Saputara, Gujarat

Significance: collection of dang tribal artefacts

Highlights: overwhelming art and craft by the dang tribes of the local area

Saputara Tribal Museum

Amidst the scenic beauty of Saputara in Gujarat, Saputara Tribal Museum is a place of great cultural and historical significance. The museum is purely dedicated to the various cultures and lifestyles of the Dang tribe, which is a local tribe in the area. This unique museum has gained importance due to the large number of interesting artefacts and handicrafts put on display here. Amongst the various things put on show here are native clothes, jewellery, heritage items and dance costumes with face masks. Some of the musical instruments here are also worth a watch.

The museum is a nice tour to see the vivid living style of Dang Tribes in Saputara region. A journey through the museum will leave you overwhelmed with its extraordinary display of the tribe’s culture and lifestyle.

History

Considering the large population of Dangs in and around Saputara, this museum was set up for visitors to get a glimpse of how the natives of this area have lived for many decades. Even though the museum has been opened on a small scale, it attracts a large number of tourists every day.

There are almost 300 villages in Dang district of which a maximum are tribal. The tribal population here has extraordinary art and craft capabilities such as making stuffed animals, tattoos, hand paintings, pottery, and much more. The museum will leave you exhausted as you go around understanding the culture and self dependency of these tribes in making their living.

Sections of the Museum

Decorative Items

This section is adorned by numerous decorative items of wood work and carvings. There are wall hangings and paintings on display. The famous Warli paintings made by Dang tribes are exquisite. They were also adept at creating pen stands and old writing material. All of these have been showcased here and placed with appropriate descriptions to share information about the items on display.

Pottery Section

Huge clay and mud vessels which may be used once for water storage are put on display. There are other small and big kitchen utensils also done in different styles. Some interesting cooking vessels have also been showcased here.

Music Section

The music section includes a number of instruments. There are also colourful costumes in different styles on display that were worn during rituals and festivities. The instruments are rare and confined to this tribal zone. Many gaudy multicoloured masks are also displayed, which may be used as a part of the dances performed here.

Workshops

The museum also conducts a few workshops to encourage tribal handicraft. They help you learn paintings and craftwork, which is a wonderful experience.

Visitor Information

Time: 10: 30 am – 5:00 pm

Entry fees:

For Students: Re. 1/-; Adults: Rs. 2/-; Foreigners: Rs. 50/-

How to Reach

By Road

The easiest and most affordable way to reach the museum is by road. Hire a taxi or by private vehicle you can reach Saputara on national highway 8.The nearest town is Waghai at 51 km.

By Train

The nearest railway station is at Waghai and further distance has to be covered by bus or taxi.

By Air

The nearest airport is 309 km away at Vadodara. The rest of the journey can be completed by a train till Waghai and then by a taxi or via the state transport bus.