Santhali Katha

SANTALI KATHA

A legacy. A lifestyle. A learning.

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

A 360° exhibition exploring the Santhals… through history, art, language, and living traditions

This is not an archive. It is a living cultural experience” in a bold or italic style to stand out.

THE 7 EXPERIENCE ZONES

Art & Painting

Sohrai and Khovar traditions rooted in ritual and nature.

Dance & Performance

Collective rhythm, seasonal rituals, embodied identity

Language & Script

Ol Chiki — a script born from sound and nature

Music

Instruments, voice, and memory carried through sound

Craft & Textiles

Material culture shaped by hand, land, and community

Theatre & Puppetry

Mask traditions and storytelling in motion

Daily Life & Rituals

Objects, practices, and rhythms of everyday existence

Understanding the Santhals means recognizing a worldview where forests are kin, rivers are elders, and rituals honor balance

Preserving a living indigenous culture that has enriched our psyche since time immemorial.

Bringing visibility to an often-neglected community to which we are deeply indebted.

Enabling the youth of today to learn about and appreciate living oral traditions.

Bridging ancient ecological wisdom with the demands of 21st-century contemporary life.

-: About Ruby Palchoudhuri :-

Ruby Palchoudhuri is a Kolkata-based cultural activist, curator, and author dedicated to preserving India’s traditional crafts and textiles. A key figure in the Crafts Council movement, she has held leadership roles in both the Crafts Council of West Bengal and the Crafts Council of India.
She has worked closely with artisan communities in regions like Phulia, Shantipur, and Santiniketan, helping revive crafts such as kantha embroidery, jamdani weaving, and muslin. Through exhibitions, training programs, and publications, she has promoted and documented India’s craft heritage.
Honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from CIMA, she continues to play a vital role in sustaining and promoting India’s artisanal traditions.

Welcoming Our Nobel Laureate to Santali Katha

Preserving Heritage, Empowering Voices: Nobel Laureate Dr. Abhijit Vinayak Banerjee at KCC On May 7th, 2026, the Kolkata Centre for Creativity (KCC) hosted a deeply insightful session as part of the Santhali Katha exhibition. We were deeply honored to welcome Nobel Laureate Dr. Abhijit Vinayak Banerjee, who joined the Santal Talks seminar to explore the evolving identity, rich knowledge systems, and artistic heritage of the Santal community. Far from just a look back at history, Dr. Banerjee’s talk tackled the urgent economic realities facing traditional indigenous craftspeople today, sparking a vital dialogue on cultural recognition, fair credit, and how these ancient art forms can navigate a rapidly changing modern world.

A Powerful Collaboration For Change

Symposium on Synergizing Indigenous Knowledge Systems: An Indian Perspective, as part of Santali Katha, a multidisciplinary exhibition and seminar exploring the Santal community through the lens of continuity and change, organized by the Centre of Excellence for Indian Knowledge System, the Centre of Excellence in Literature Language and Communication Skills, and the Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Development Research of UEM Kolkata.
We thank Prof. Banani Chakrabarti-Chancellor UEMK, Prof. Satyajit Chakrabarti, Vice-Chancellor UEMK, Prof. Rajyashree Paul Director-IQAC, Deputy Dean Research, UEMK, Prof. Rajiv Ganguly, Dean Science, UEMK and the Faculty Members for supporting us thoroughly in convening the Academic Outreach Program successfully.

Dr. Ayanita Banerjee

Director, (CELLCS), Department of Basic Sciences and Humanities, UEM Kolkata

We express our deepest gratitude to our convenor, Dr. Ayanita Banerjee Director, for her constant guidance, support, and technical insights throughout the development of this project. Her expertise helped shape our ideas into reality.

Glimpses of Santali Katha Event

Venue Details

Description: Kolkata Centre for Creativity (KCC), 1st & 4th floors. Address: 64 Lake Place, Kolkata: 700029, West Bengal, India.

Opening hours

11:00 AM – 7:00 PM (Daily) [Note: Hours based on standard KCC timings, check with professor for specific event changes].

Tickets / Entry

Entry is free. Donations to the Ila Palchoudhuri Foundation are welcome and eligible for tax exemption under Section 80G.

Contact

Email: ilapalchoudhuri2025@gmail.com | Phone: 9903610600.

-: Program Convenors :-

(1) Prof. (Dr.) Shambhu Prasad Chakrabarty Director, (CESDR), Dean, Department of Law (IIIJS), UEM Kolkata

(2) Prof. (Dr.) Ayanita Banerjee Director, (CELLCS), Department of Basic Sciences and Humanities, UEM Kolkata

-: Student Co-ordinators :-

(1) Sayandip Pandit, Student (CSIT), Third Year, UEM Kolkata

(2) Debanka Mondal, Student (CSE-IOT), Third Year, UEM Kolkata

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Our Venue Partner: Kolkata Centre for Creativity (KCC)

We were privileged to host our recent program at the Kolkata Centre for Creativity. Spanning over 70,000 square feet, KCC is one of the premier multi-disciplinary art and interactive creativity hubs in Eastern India. Its state-of-the-art infrastructure and contemporary design provided an inspiring backdrop that elevated our event's experience.