The Aduria Dom Of Orissa: A Monographic Study

Abstract

The Scheduled Castes in Odishan context in general and the Dom caste in particular present two distinct interpretative trends in interactional levels with castes and tribal groups, the former representing highly stratified and hierarchized ones andthe latter, less segmented, less stratified and less hierarchized. The magnitude, limit, extent, scope and pattern of social discrimination and social distance varies in the above two contexts.The present volume is a monographic account of the Aduria Dom, a section of the Dombo/Dom caste inhabiting both highlands and coastal areas. The study is the outcome of field work conducted during 1991-92 in one village and in an enclave in Nawrangpur township. The Aduria Dom had traditionally suffered from the stigma of untouchability and were living in separate enclave, generally at the out skirts of villages and township areas. Currently, they eke-out their living through agricultural labour and wage earning, besides subsidiary occupations, like drum-beating, small business, rickshaw pulling and in selling livestock and animal hides. Most of them are landless. They have their specific rituals and ceremonies for various life-cycle rituals. They are polytheists. In addition to their own deities, they also believe in a number of Hindu gods and goddesses. Prior to the establishment of Panchayati Raj system they had their traditional socio-political mechanism for social control and management of the internal and external affairs of their caste group with such traditional officials, the Naik, as the village-head assisted by the Challan and the Barik. Besides, the village organisation they had their caste panchayat with regional institution, like Mutha or Khanda. During the post-independence period several development programmes and schemes have been launched, by Government for the upliftment of the Scheduled Caste communities inthe area. It is hoped that the scholars &administrators alike will find this book interesting and useful.