India, Dec. 13 -- The Bhopal Tribal Museum offers a sneak peek into the lifestyles of the region's indigenous communities. The street food trail entices us with visions of fluffy poha, crispy jalebis, delicate lamb broth and aromatic kebabs. Both have glowing recommendations, but we have one last afternoon in the city. A sacrifice has to be made.

Walking through the grounds of the 7-acre Janjaati Sangrahalaya, the Tribal Museum in Bhopal, I coax my inner gastronome into sleep mode and focus on the curious artefacts scattered around. The building, designed by renowned architect Revathi Kamath, draws my interest with its tribal aesthetics, earthy construction and folk paintings. I peer at the outstretched arms of an oversized banyan tree m...