Mahali

Abstract

Mahali is a small tribal community of Odisha. They belong to Dravidian race. They are emigrants from Bihar and Bengal, who came to live near the Odisha border and then got spread to other districts of thestate. They are an artisan group who work with bamboo. They are well known for their traditional skill inproducing fine bamboo crafts. Though they are not trained artisans, by their natural talent and skill, theycreate magnificent pieces of crafts. They have totemistic and exogamous clans and the cult of ancestorworship. Their life and culture is mostly influenced by the neighboring Santal tribe and other Hinduized groups. Like the Santal, they worship Marang Buru as their supreme deity and few other deities whoreside in the sacred sal grove called jahirsthan situated at the village outskirts. Due to influence ofmodernization and development interventions by the Government agencies, their traditional belief systemhas been changed to a great extent and that has brought a perceptible change in their life style. ThisPhoto Hand Book has tried to portray their traditional material culture and their economic, social andreligious life and changes at present.All the snaps presented in this Photo Hand Book have been taken from the Mahali inhabited villages under Khunta block of Udala Sub Division and Jamda block of Rairangpur ITDA of Mayurbhanj district in Odisha. It is hoped that the learned readerswill appreciate this Photo Hand Book and find it useful.