Poshina (Ratanpur) is a town in Sabarkantha state of Gujarat. This is a home of many tribal communities such as Rabaris, Bhils and Garsias.
Arrowheads from Gujarat
White desert
November 5, 2019
Poshina, Gujarat
November 7, 2019ARROWHEADS FROM INDIA
MEETING THE BHILS
The Garasias are known for their colorful attire, the Rabaris for their silver ornaments and the Bhil tribe for arrow making.
Unfortunately I didn’t have time to experience a Indian traditional archery in practise but I am glad I met a blacksmith just forging metal arrowheads. As lucky as I am he forged a few for me.
Infotech
The Bhils are the third-largest Indo- Aryan speaking and most widely distributed tribal group in India. For Bhil man is mandatory to master handling bow and arrow since childbirth and even after death.
Their aim is quite accurate and it is believed they can claim a target from a kilometers distance.
Bow and arrow are made by a particular group of people in the tribe. Blacksmith makes a metal arrowheads.
Cane for the arrows is painted with bright colors ends with the eagle feathers that are very important for spiritual beliefs.
I had a plan of gathering a traditional Indian handcrafted metal arrowheads with Slovenian handcrafted wooden cane and traditional goose feather.
My plan was perfect till entering the first airport on my way home in Vadodara- Baroda. Indian police was checking me from head to toe, investigating me for almost an hour. With the help of my dear Canon buddy who keept my files safe and explained my story of given gift from Poshina, I could finally proceed on my flight to New Delhi, where the real problems actually began.
Just when we were about to board on the rescheduled flight back to Munich a heavily armed policeman came searching for Mišmaš. (Mikmak to be precise)
They took me to a small room where I had to sign numerous papers written in Indian language. I had no idea what I was signing but It felt like I had no other choice really.
After 20 minutes of intense investigation police finally let me proceed with the boarding. Thankfully the plane didn’t took off. What a mishmash!
Like Groundhogs day same old story repeated on Munich airport. I just couldn’t step out of the endless circle.
I gave up this time. I wasn’t sleeping for almost thirty hours since Vadodara and was completely drained out.
Regardless all the complications I have succeeded and brought my Indian arrowheads to my home country.
After a good sleep at home my head finally worked reasonable. What was I thinking making the metal arrowheads in Gujarat in a time of such crises? Indeed a weapon!
Infotech …a few days after my arrival to Gujarat…
Pakistan closed its airspace in response to soaring tensions with India, with both states claiming to have shot down each other’s jets.
Since I had to struggle so much I really need to accomplish my international project, bonding the Indian and Slovenian handcraft.
“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveller is unaware.”
– Martin Buber