Mutua Bahadur Museum is nothing like your everyday museum. Tucked away in the green scenic landscape of quaint and tiny village Andro is this one-of-a-kind museum called Mutua Bahadur. The name of this village is believed to have originated from the word ‘handro’, which, in local tongue, translates to ‘the village of the people who returned’. As the story goes the Lois (the majority community in Andro), the earliest settlers of Manipur was driven away by a local ruler. Later, they returned to establish their settlement that gradually came to be known as Andro.

The museum is not built like any convention museum rather it is a collection of multiple traditional hut and houses that are collectively used to house a museum. Tourists can find a fine selection of traditional artefacts, including pottery, manuscripts, paintings, bell metal objects, jewellery, wood carving and a range of ethnic handicraft items. Andro tribe is a master of pottery making and has their own unique method. They use a uniquely shaped wooden bat to mound the clay instead of a pottery wheel. This flat-surfaced bat is used to deftly pound the clay into whatever shape or design the potter wants to create. Once dried the pots are given special shine by using natural dye made from barks of local tree.

The different houses constructed by the various tribes of Manipur including poumai, kabui, meitei, kuki and tangkhul are also replicated to be displayed at this museum. The museum also claims to have largest collection of coins in North-east with around 4,000 gold, silver and bell-metal coins.

The Idea behind the museum is to identify and restore the identity of 29 Manipuri tribes. For which 20 illustrative books, 20 other projects, several educational charts and slides and video documentation have been undertaken by the Mutua Museum to educate its visitors about the culture and tribes of Manipur.

How to reach

Airways: The nearest airport is Tulihal airport. You can then hire a taxi to reach Andro.

Railways: The nearest railway is Dimapur railway station. You can then hire a taxi to reach Andro.

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