Photo Documentation of Chadar Badar

Ravi Kant Dwivedi (b. 1954) undertook in 2014
a field trip to Jharkhand and West Bengal to document Santal traditions. In Jharkhand he visited Modidih, Labandia and Panduba (District Godda) and Navasar, Kukurtupa and Hatiapathar (District Dumka), and in West Bengal, he visited the villages of Bannab Gram, Uttar Shiala, Bonerpukur Danga, Gargaria, Surull and Patharghata (District Birbhum). His earlier field trip in 1988 covered many of these villages in the two states. Sudhanshu Shandilya (b. 1984) is a young photographer based in New Delhi. He photographed the Chadar Badar puppetry troupe in residence at the Crafts Museum in December 2014. The photographs show Bhulu Murmu (Chadar Badar maker), Shibdhan Murmu (Chadar Badar performer), Sonadhan Murmu (accompanist musician) and Babudhan Murmu (accompanist musician).