Orissa Review * April - 2007

Tribal Festivities in Cuttack : A Historical Perspective

Pareswar Sahoo

There seems to be an increasing interest about folk dances and festives are performed by 1 the tribal inhabitants of Orissa. This region of India’s aboriginal population known as Adivasi Orissa had not only flourished and prospered who have a culture that is very distinct and in art and architecture in the past but also taken typical in nature and vary from tribe to tribe a lead role in matters of tribal cultural heritage and region to region. The festivals are since the early times. Even today it has one of performed by them accompanied with dances the largest concentration of tribals and and rhythm consisting of clapping of hands, indigenous people in India, by constituting more beating up of drums and different musical tools than 22% of its total population. They dwell and techniques. Here is a brief description of mostly in the Eastern Ghats and the areas like the festivals of the tribals of Cuttack. Sambalpur, Baragarh, Baudh, Keonjhar, In Orissa, Cuttack is no less significant Mayurbhanj, Koraput, Phulbani, Navarangpur, so far as tribal-cultural heritage is concerned Rayagarah, Nuapada, Ganjam, Cuttack and in context of other regions. There are some Dhenkanal. Economically, they are poor no regions like, Dalak, Jaipur, Bada, Debabhumi, doubt, but, socially they are hospitable, docile, Kenarsingi, Jhajibandha, Panchagochhia, honest, and far away from greed. A survey where the tribal groups are found in plenty. They shows that in India, there are 427 Scheduled consist of Konds, Kolahs, Savaras and Tribes with different socio-economic spectrum. Santals, who have not migrated from other In Orissa, out of these tribes, 62 are found regions but considered original inhabitants of 2 which include Santals, Mundas, & Kondhs, these regions. One of the typical characteristics who happen to be the major group of tribal of the tribals in Jaipore area in Narasinghpur and Hos, Mandas,Parajas, Juangs, Oraons, is that they worship the Goddess Maa Pragala 3 Saoras, Bhumiyas, Bondas, Dharuas, and the priest is called Dehuri. Kolhas and Koyas and many more. They adopt the dance as a principle to The tribals are still primarily a people who display their joy and to escape from their grief depend basically on eco-system of the hills and in every festival time. Generally it can be called forests living off nature for sustenance that gives both stimulation and religion oriented. Mostly, rise to every event of significance in the life the tribals perform dances on the occasions of cycle of individuals and the groups The tribal celebration of birth anniversaries, recovery from

74 Orissa Review * April - 2007 diseases, at the time of puberty, circumcision, them. This festival is mostly restricted to the marriage, death, and at the time of harvest. This women folk only it continues from dawn to may be that the tribal solidarity and tribal social dusk. movement take place with the practice or The spring festival is the most glamorous professional dance sequences that festival among the Santals and is called the demonstrated the respect for authority and “Salaipuja”. When the spring comes, the new unification of the groups. They have always leaves and the flowers appear on the trees, the found enough time for their festivals and Santals enjoy and dance by taking their observe it together at one place in the middle traditional drink, ‘Handia’ till the end of the of the village not separately at their homes. festival. It continues for three days at a stretch The festivals like “Soil Worship” known and each day is a special one. Thus, all these 4 as ‘Eroism’ is observed in the month of May festivals which are observed by the Santals are before ‘Rajasankranti’ when they sow the religious in character. Besides the santal seeds in the fields. In the Hindu Community that festivals, a number of festivals are performed festival is known as the ‘Akshayatritiya’. Each by the other groups of tribals. One is the worship of Karma Devata or Goddess santal family presents a cock or a hen for the 8 worship of the soil. In this festival the priest, Karma Sani Devi is a ceremonial ritual. It is Majhibudha or Majhihalam recites the prayer the most popular festivals among the tribes : “Oh Mother, we are going to sow seeds during called Bhuyan, Kolha, Ho, Gond, Baghti, this month, give us a good harvest, good rain, Kundha Mindah, Oraon, etc. The functional good health, the safety of our domestic animals style of this worship varies in degrees according 5 from the danger of the leopards & diseases”. to the tribal setup in Orissa. The Kolha in the After the prayer, they usually cook rice & meat regions like Dalak, Kenarsingi, Olab, Talpunji in mass and dine together singing, dancing and in Narasinghpur excel in exhibiting religious the amusement goes on till over the next aesthetic sense of fine art by making their morning. houses decorated. The interesting features of 6 this festival is that of the young girls and boys The ‘plant worship’ known as Harialism who attired in multi-coloured costumes take up is the next festival, which takes place after the the gorgeous makeup by typical tribal several days of the seeds sown. This is called ornaments, lead ornaments, peacock’s train the thanks giving ceremony to the God for the etc. The Kolhas celebrate another festival like 9 success of sowing. The distinct sign of this ‘Rajasala’, which is the symbol of Hindu festival is that the Santals never go to their fields identity. In the month of mid June they celebrate again until this festival ends and women are not it by wearing the new garments. This is allowed to take part in it. So it is called a festival practiced with group dances by holding hands of the men folk only. The ‘cattle worship’ as per the musical rhythm. They used to drink 7 10 known as ‘Sahari’ constitute the next the trandional ‘Handia’ called ‘Illi’ important festives of the Santal tribes. There, throughout the day by making a grand feast. the women go round the cattle sheds and Besides they worship the mother Goddess in worship the cows, bullocks by putting turmeric the form of Soil, offering her flowers, cakes on their foreheads and put flowers and feed and hen or cocks.

75 Orissa Review * April - 2007

They consider ‘Kalipuja’ as the symbol Festivals form a part of the daily life of the of Sakti worship though in the distant past the tribals which reflect their lifestyle, mannerisms, worship of stambeswari or the log of tree attire, customs and religions believes. This rich worship was started. The Kolhas offer animal heritage is vanishing day by day due to rapid sacrifice enmasse for her satisfaction. changes that are taking place in the society. The priest called Majhibudha conducts References the sacrifice of the hens, goats & the cocks. 1. D.N. Mazumdar : A Tribe in Transition, The villegers, who include young & old men London, 1937, P-48 and women take part in the group dance. This 2. D.K. Jena, Souvenir, Globalisation : Crisis in festival has some similarities with that of santals Tribal Culture, pp. 4-6, Cuttack, 2005. Harialism. Cows and bullocks are worshipped 3. Ibid., on the occasion ‘Bahapuja’ is the festival of the tribes like Kolhas, and Savars. This festival 4. Pandulip of Narasinghpur Itihas by Gopal Krishna Pattanaik, Narasinghpur. is also called ‘Holi’ which is celebrated in the month of April. It is also known as nature 5. Dr S.S. Mohanty, Souvenir, Reflection of Tribal Society in Dasakumar Charitam of worship. They used to throw Gulal (colour) Dandini and Kadambri of Banabhatta. at each other & greet one another by offering flowers. One of the religious festivals of the 6. Interview with Hemalata Murmu, dated 7th 11 May, 2005. Kolhas, Mundas, is ‘Pirh Puja.’ They do this in order to please the hill deities who will 7. Interview with Kamena Munda, dated 17th May, 2005 protect their crops from wild animals. They also 12 observe Machuri festival in the month of 8. Odiya Sahitya O’ Adibasi Sasmruti, Bhubaneswar, 1981. Sravana (July-August) which marks the first eating of cucumber. Now a days the tribals of 9. Ibid., Cuttack are observing the festivals like Gahma 10. Tribals of Orissa, Tribal and Harijan Welfare Purnima, Manabasa, as per the Hindu Department, Govt. of Orissa, Bhubaneswar, traditions. 1990, p-170 These are some rare findings of the tribal festivals of the district of Cuttack in Orissa. It is essentially group art form which is Pareswar Sahoo is a Ph.D. Research Scholar, P.G. Dept. characterised by its originality and spontaneity. of History, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar

76