Kondadora

Abstract

The Kondadora is a Scheduled Tribe of Odisha. Their homeland lies in and around the Konda Kamberu ranges of the Eastern Ghats spread across south Odisha and the Andhra Pradesh. In Odisha, they are mainly concentrated in Koraput, Malkangiri, Raygada and Kalahandi districts and thinly scattered in Balangir and Bargarh districts of western Odisha. The name 'Kondadora' is derived from 'Konda' (hill) and 'Dora' (lord) meaning the 'Lords of the Hill'. They are also known as 'Konda kapu' 'Oja', 'Pandava Raju', 'Pandava Dora' and 'Kubing' in different localities. Many ethnographers believe that the Kondadoras are an offshoot of the Kandha tribe. But according to their belief, they identify themselves as the offsprings of the great mythological heroes - the Pandavas and consider it dignified to refer themselves as 'Pandava Raju' or 'Pandava Dora'. Their original mother tongue is Kubi / Konda, a non-literary central Dravidian language closely akin to 'Kui' and 'Kuvi'. Now, they have forgotten Kubi and are speaking 'Telugu'; mixed with broken 'Odia' for which the neighbouring communities call them as Telugu Dora/ Telenga Dora/ Telega Dora or Dora etc. Kondadora settlements are generally homogeneous and are located near foot hills or hill slopes where perennial hill streams provide them drinking water. But in multi ethnic villages they live in separate wards maintaining social distance from the neighbouring communities and thereby, their distinct ethnic identity. They are mainly agriculturists who supplement their livelihood by allied pursuits such as wage earning, livestock rearing, forest collection, seasonal hunting and fishing, share cropping, small business. Some poor people among them earn their livelihood by trade of bullocks, cows and by performing a folk art called ghungunadia and then, collecting money or grains from door to door. They are an endogamous community, broadly divided into two endogamous divisions such as Pedda Kondulu and China Kondulu. The former claims superiority over the latter. Both the divisions are again sub-divided into a number of clans called intiperu/ kulam/vansam. They prefix their clan names before their first name to identify themselves. Their tutelary deity goddess Ammatali resides in the sacred groove at the village outskirts. Now-a-days, due to culture contact, modernization and development intervention their way of life is undergoing transformation. This photographic documentation of the life style of the Kondadora tribe is a part of the series on Tribes of Odisha being published by SCSTRTI. Hopefully, it would be useful for all those who are interested in the tribal culture of Odisha.