One of our main point to visit Orissa was the unique opportunity to meet in a relatively easily way the Adivasi, the tribal population inhabiting the secluded portions of the hills of the Eastern Ghats of India. During our stay in Bhubaneswar we arranged a guide and a driver from one of the various agencies that organize trips in the tribal areas of Rayagada and Koraput districts, the forested hilly area at about 400km from Bhubaneswar predominantly inhabited by tribal groups.
Dongria Kondh tribe |
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We boarded the night sleeping coach train departing from Bhubaneswar at 08.00 PM and arrived at Rayagada at 05:10 AM. After breakfast we proceeded by car to Chatikona (48 km) to witness the weekly market that take place every Wednesday near the train station of Bissamcuttack, the main town some 5 km away. A small Shiva temple is also present nearby a waterfall. In occasion of the market the Dongria Kondh tribe people come down on foot from the nearby Niayamgiri hills to buy pots, textiles and other products, and making some money from the tourists. The Niyamgiri Hills are one of last untouched wildernesses of Orissa, unfortunately under the threat to be clear felled for the extraction of aluminum. For their distinctive hairstyle the Kondh women use several hair clips and silver pins, they wear three rings on their nose and about 16 earrings in their ears. Jewelleries are also in the shape of small knifes. The Kond religion is based on a male supreme being and his consort the earth goddess who must be appeased with natural food and animal sacrifice (which has replaced former human sacrifices). Since the nineteenth century many Konds have been converted by Christian missionaries.
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Tribals of Orissa
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We left Chatikona for Jeypore were we spent the night. On the way we visited a small Shiva temple near a river with a number of sculptured images and a couple of tribal villages surrounded by mango and jackfruit trees covered with the dark green leaves of the pepper vine. The villagers were friendly and welcomed us smiling. In one of the village they were preparing the food for a local celebration, the guide explained us that during such a fiesta male villagers goes into the forest to catch animal prey to be scarified in the evening when they get drunk and dangerous.
Bonda tribe |
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The following day we drove to Ankadeli (70 km) in the river Machkund valley - to witness the interesting weekly (Thursday) market where is possible to meet people of the Bonda tribe, the most fascinating, fiercely independent tribe in Orissa. Bonda men are notorious for being extremely aggressive with their bow & arrow. The Bondha are also called the naked people tribe because they hardly wear any clothes. Bonda women are characterized by their silver rings around the neck, they wear hundreds of necklaces on their body and on the shaved head and only a small cloth wrapped down to cover half of the body. According to one of their legends Bondha women were cursed by Sita and condemned to be naked. We had the chance to see also people from the Gabada tribe reckoned as one of the oldest tribes in India. A Gadaba woman usually wears beads of various colors in the hair, silver necklaces and very big brass earrings.
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Bonda tribe
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We drove to Koraput to board the night sleeping coach train for Bhubaneswar departing from Koraput at 18:25. Before leaving we had the time to visit the temple of Jagannath cult and consciousness at Koraput. In the temple we had the opportunity to assist to the sacred thread ceremonial when the young Brahmin boy is initiated to the study the Vedas. Of course in these modern times the celebration has lost the original spirit: the beg for alms from various houses today is only symbolised by the beggar attire of the boy.
Gabada tribe |
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