Madagada - A Tribal Village in Arakuvalley Andhra Pradesh - Village Study Series

Abstract

The present study aims at giving a brief description of the social system of a multi-ethnic village predominantly inhabited by the tribal in the hilly region of Araku Valley of Visakhapatnam district. Most of the villages in this valley are inhabited by more than one tribal group. The village Madagada is typical in its ethnic composition; it is inhabited by tribal as well as non-tribal groups. The non-tribals in the village amply compensated the absence of occupational functionaries like potters and goldsmiths by their immigration to this village. The study also attempts to analyses the functional inter-dependency of the tribals and non-tribals in their day-day-day life. Further it throws light on the interaction between the tribal and non-tribals in a situation in which the physical, political and economic resources are mostly controlled by the predominant tribal groups of the village. Thus, the study ultimately emerged as a holistic study of the village society coverage social, economic, religious and political life, hierarchy of the villagers. The entire village consisting 145 households was studied. The sociological field work techniques such as non-participation observation, interview, and the canvassing of schedules, were employed to collect the necessary data. Secondary data were collected the official record of the block functionaries. Field work was done in 1964-65. The study reveals that this village is populated by 672 persons residing in 145 households. There are 8 tribal and 4 non-tribal communities, the percentage of the non-tribal communities is 13.24 to the total population. Valmiki and Bhagatas are the two numerically dominant communities. The social structure of Madagada village comprises two distinct segments, namely the tribal and non-tribal. These segments function within the complex cultural framework of the village social structure in general. The Bhagatas occupy the highest rung in the social hierarchy of the village. Family is the basic unit of the village social structure. Most of the villagers speak corrupt Oriya except the Kapu, Sundi, and Kamsali, whose mother tongue is Telugu. The traditionally established social codes are handed down from generation to generation and the community elders serve as guardians of the code of conduct. Each society has devised and organized certain procedure which are called Rites the passage for this specific purpose and they include the various socio-religious ceremonies relating to birth, puberty, marriage, disease and death. Many a group have formulated reciprocal relationships while discharging their economic functions which ensure the smooth functioning of the economic system in this village. The various religious beliefs and festivals depict the villagers as a devout man. In spite of the multi-ethnic nature of the village social structure, the relations between the various tribes and castes are marked with mutual co-operation and reciprocity. Most of the development activities in the village were introduced during the Multipurpose Project period only. Agriculture being the main stay of most of the villagers, it rightly received top priority in the development programme.