Drove out of Jagdalpur to visit the Bison-Horn Maria tribe.

Each tribe put on a performance of their spectacular local dances and we got a good look at village life, costumes, ornaments and customs. …View image… The Bison-Horn Maria quite obviously derive their name from unusual headdresses worn while dancing during ceremonial occasions. Since the bison is becoming scarce, cattle horns are often used, placed on a bamboo frame, with peacock feathers (or chicken feathers) and strings of cowrie shells hanging down from it. This ornate headdress is passed from father to son.

Bison-Horn Maria Headdress, Chattisgarh, India

 

The Biston-Horn Maria probably kept dancing long after we left their village with the children and non-dancers watching from the sidelines. Each village was very clean…a surprise after some of the not-so-clean places we visited in Guizhou…and “ex-Marine” and I were always the highlights. For some villagers, the first Westerners they had ever seen. They stared at us…we stared at them…

They sold betel nut leaves at the next market. The customer would choose the ingredient to smear on, pay and chew….View image…
And, other women were selling glass bangles…perhaps 12 for $1…sharing the wealth, we bought lots of bangles from each woman sitting there for our granddaughters. “Equal-opportunity” for all!

selling bangles in an Chattisgarh, India market
In Kanger Valley National Park, we admired Chitrakote Waterfall that is supposed to be much more impressive during rainy season.

The Dhurwa are another sub-tribe of the Gonds who have a higher social status and officiate (as priests) at various ceremonies. Last market…enough for one day…back to the hotel…with more tomorrow…

proud mother in Gond tribe market, Chattisgarh, India

Unbelievably low fares on Air France right here.