Adivasi - v34_No.1-2

Abstract

Adivasi, the journal of our Institute which was previously a quarterly one emerges as a half-yearly Publication from the current volume. The restructuring and re-orientation took quite sometime to bring this volume, which is a combined issue for 1994, for circulation. The volume contains 7 papers and 2 Book Review. Professor Behura's paper on Panchayati Raj and Education in the State of Orissa is a very illuminating one which elaborately discusses the educational system in our State. The paper includes, historical perspective on Panchayati Raj and Education in Orissa. The existing structure of management and administration of education at various levels have been discussed. The impact of various educational programmes including experiences of successes and failures has been highlighted. There has been quite a good deal of discussion on the aspects of education among the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The author makes valuable suggestions towards restructuring and reorganization of the existing management and administrative system of education vis-a-vis the Panchayati Raj System. The paper on Tribal Women, Environment and Development by Dr. Rath pinpoints the intimate relationship between the forests and the tribal people. She has emphasized the role of tribal women, who primarily depend upon minor forest produce, can be more trusted for the preservation and development of forests. Compared to male folk, it appears that the tribal women can play significant roles in joint forest management intervention. Shri B. B. Mohanty discusses significantly various aspects of Marriage and Family among the Bond's of Orissa State. The Bondo constitutes one of the primitive tribal groups and the tribal community is only found in Orissa State and nowhere else in the country. The two social institutions of enormous significance have been analysed by the author. Dr. P. Venkata Rao's paper on Some Aspects of Development infrastructure in a Tribal area speaks of the implementation of development programmes in tribal areas and emphatically states that the efficiency of infrastructural services is necessary for tribal development. He states that the V. D. 0., previously known as V. L. W. acts as a go between in the development administration. He pleads that the felt-needs of the tribal people, effective delivery system, population participation, etc. should be taken care of while going for all round development of tribal people. Dr. P. K. Mishra's paper on Sanskritization to Politicization: The case of the Panas in Orissa unravels the status of an erstwhile low untouchable caste of Orissa. Both birth ascriptive ritual status and achieved secular status of the Pena, have been analysed. The paper discusses the pre-independence situation and also the post-independence status consideration in the web of socio-economic inequalities. The aspects of politicization at later stage appears to be very meaningfully analyzed. Dr. Pasayat's paper on Tribal-non-tribal interaction in Orissa: A Study of Karma Festival in Sambalpur analytically interprets the tribal festival Karma which is primarily a tribal one. The description of the festival has been very vivid and lucid. As discussed by the author the Karma festival is more universal than parochial in its approach. It contributes significantly the tribe/caste integration in our State. The paper on Social Control, Tradition and Transition in Lanjia Saora Society contributed by Shri S. C. Mohanty analyses the mechanism of social control in the context of tradition and modernity. The Lanjia Saora who constitute a primitive section of the Saora tribal community, although is tradition-bound, have shown aspects of social change under the impact of modernisation and development intervention. Unlike their fore-fathers they are more dynamic and receptive to changing socio-economic conditions. We shall be happy if the papers cater to the need of its esteemed readers with their varied interests in ethnic groups and several aspects of their society, culture and development.