Bhopal: Mankallam, a pot-shaped wooden dowry chest of Mannady in Kerala, is the first Exhibit of the Week of December displayed by Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya. The museum has put the exhibit on its social media platforms.
The exhibition, which began from Monday, is part of museum’s online series. The exhibit was collected from folk community of Mannady in 1992. The height, width and circumference traditional dowry chest are 30 cm, 24 cm, and 75 cm respectively.
Museum director Praveen Kumar Mishra said Mankallam is a traditional dowry chest gifted to the bride by her parents to store her valuable belongings like gold ornaments. It is made of jack fruit tree wood and has a conical lid. A brass ring attached to lid serves as an aid for opening and closing it. “The brass metal designs, hinges and fittings make the chest very prominent,” Mishra added.
Museum assistant keeper Sudeepa Roy said the beautifully decorated dowry chests were traditionally used by women of aristocratic families. “These kinds of jewellery boxes are not in vogue as they have been replaced by modern jewellery boxes. But still many families preserve and continue with this tradition,” Roy added.
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