August - 2013 Odisha Review

The People of Mudulipada

(ESSAY ON LIFE OF THE BONDA TRIBES.)

Dr. Debashis Patra

That was a Sunday: the day of the weekly village how do the people of Mudulipada look like ? fair of Mundiguda. Mudulipada is about twenty What do they put on ? What do they eat? Where kilometres from Mundiguda. Mundiguda is not lies the underlying formula of their insatiable thirst merely a fair for commercial transactions, it is the for living? Are they Aryans or Non-Aryans ? Or dearest place of the Bondas, an integral part of they connected with a thread-like brittle their life and culture. The pure and pristine in the relationship hidden under the primitive origin of aborigines have very often lured the tourists, creation? To meet these persistent enquiries and researchers and scholars to this enigmatic place inquisitiveness, an international seminar was held who take it as a mission to bring this wonder of in the University of New York on the subject “The the creation to limelight in the larger arena of this Man of Bonda Hill”, attended by a large number world. of eminent anthropologists from all over the world. Under a few thatched roofs in the fair have A lot of discussions and deliberations went on been displayed the shops dealing in the basic items yielding to many fascinating findings and of daily chores, things of the mundane world. A suggestions. But to the utmost shock and surprise shop of ‘salap’ juice under a tree entices no Indian representative participated in the everyone. The people of Mudulipada come here international programme; the seminar, however, to pick up a few memorable moments manifesting became a museum of myriad revelations. Quite a a tremendous zeal and zest for life. He has no good number of foreign researchers and tourists opportunity to be lost in the allurements and presented their illuminating studies and sophistications of modernity. They are not an observations. In the corner of the auditorium was ordinary people, but the inhabitants of the high there a Swedish lady listening very attentively and hills of Bonda from a historical perspective. They with much concentration to the deliberations of are the denizens of the country of Barajangara, the seminar, Charlotte by name. She tied a knot distinctly separate in respect of their township, with a man of very remote village in Odisha. A their law and order and their topography which galaxy of questions in her mind, her mind stirred the civilized men call the ‘Bondas’; and their and agitated over the unending ebb and tide of common identity as the people of Mudulipada. possible answers to them. How can she meet Curiously enough, a series of questions these Bonda people, newly and amazingly normally arises with regard to this primitive tribe: reflected in the mirror of history ? The people who

51 Odisha Review August - 2013 are the basis of the anthropological survey and entwined with beads. Eight to ten metallic rings research – the ‘People of Mudulipada’. were there around the neck. Chains of multi As the month of March waned, the rage coloured beads covered their breasts, and around of biting cold winter gradually cooled down. The the waist was there a strange kind of cloth called scarecrows in the fields have been ruined. The ‘ringa’. At a little distance under a shady tree the rows of hills and hillocks stood firmly in darkness men had opened their shops of ‘salap’ wine. They as if they observed a ritual of total silence. And had ornaments in their ears. They looked very from that inexpressible anguish glowed the dying terrible with their conventional weapons of bows fire in the hills. The rhythmic beat of ‘dung and arrows. All the same the modern scholars dunga’on the Chaiti festival flowing over a distance were in search of a prehistoric man in them. affirms the existence of an Adivasi village (a village Somaru went near the Bonda women and of primitive tribe). They had to reach the made them aware of the positive intention of the Mundiguda fair at the day break. foreign lady. Thereafter thronged a female crowd The fair was in between Guma and around her. She gave them tips of a few hundred Khairput, after they travelled about seventy rupee notes and took a lot of snaps of the women, kilometres from Malkangiri. Amidst the glowing mostly culture- specific. Somaru did not relish the red rays of the rising sun the leaves of the trees tips given by her with a dissuading remark, on the road side as if blushed by the tender touch “Madam, hundred rupees are too much.” In of the fog. And the people of Mudulipada were Charlotte’s eyes was writ large the supreme delight marching in a disciplined line towards Mundiguda of an achiever. She replied ,” I know, I know ...” fair. In their gait was manifest a rhythmic ease as One reaches Khairput if one goes further. well as the behavioural discipline of ants. One comes across the habitation of the Bondas Somaru drew the attention of Charlotte by climbing up the mountain for about fourteen to to the saga of the aborigines. He has accompanied fifteen kilometres from that place. It is spread over her from Malkangiri, sent by the administration, a forest area of one hundred and thirty because originally he hailed from Mudulipada, sq.kilometres and is situated on the north- western quite familiar with the life and language of those side of the river Machhkund. It is at a height of people. Now he is educated, and is engaged in three thousand to five thousand feet from the sea some service at Malkangiri, leading an urbane life level. This habitation of the Bondas, touching the there. He was proficient in three languages: his basin of the Machhkund, is at the greatest height own Bonda language, Odia and English. That’s in the entire world. Berriar Elwin, a renowned why he very adroitly and faithfully played the role anthropologist, describes them the “Bonda of a tourist guide. It is only his manner and Highlanders”. modulation that will introduce specifically his own From Khairaput, the vehicle started tribesmen to the world at large. climbing uphill on the ghat road. With this began The fair was gradually gathering its Somaru’s analysis of the history of Bondas. momentum. And Charlotte went on observing the Charlotte kept the video camera on in front of Bonda women arrayed in their strange costumes. him. He spoke in his broken adulterated English On their tonsured heads were there rounded strips — The Bondas are known as ‘Remo’ in their own of leaves of thin date trees, which again were language. This tribe, the wonder of Nature and

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God’s creation , belongs to the family of Austro- This is the first of the twelve Bonda Asians, and their population is about 5565 as per villages that initially constituted the Barajanga state. the 2001 census. Its literacy rate is 7%. Their Its name is Mudulipada. Ahead lie the villages like cultural tradition strikingly resembles with that of Kirsanipada, Tulaguram, Bandiguda, Basupada, the scheduled tribes of Gadabas and Mariyas. In Chalanpada, Gokurpada, Pindajangara, other words Bondas are the oldest descendants Kichipada and Dantipada. At the foot of the hill of the Austro-Asian culture. lies Pandraguda. Now all those villages with the addition of some more area have turned into thirty Then the camera turned towards two villages. Charlotte. She questioned:” Any mythology about their origin?” Somaru continued,” Once upon a They stood in front of a house. A cock time there were twelve brothers born in a Gadaba hopped up to its roof crowing. On the verandah family on the bank of the river Godavary and later was there a semi-naked woman in a tattered cloth. they migrated to the mountainous region of She was gasping intermittently. A thirteen year old Jeypore and settled there. The name of the eldest boy in school uniform stood by her side. Charlotte brother was Bhoi Gadaba, next one was Asura asked him,”What is your name?” The boy gazed Gadaba and the other ten in the order of seniority at her for some time and replied in English,”I am were Kandha, Bonda, Didayee, Jhadia, Parenga, Sania Kirsani.”The foreign lady was wonder- Dora, Holar, Pengu, Chileri and Maria. The state struck and offered him a hundred rupee note with of these twelve brothers was known as Barajanga, an appreciation, ’very smart’. Somaru clarified but as a small state it enjoyed all connection and that Sania was his name and Kirsani the surname. co-operation with the king of Jeypore. At the time The boy then got down from the verandah . of emergency, the Bonda army of Mudulipada, Somaru asked him in his native tongue where he fully armed with their arms and ammunitions, was going. The boy replied,” Ning, ischool baigani marched heroically to defend the king of Jeypore. ning” which meant “ I am going to school.” Charlotte looked out of the vehicle to Somaru then talked about the names and observe the beauty and splendour of nature from the surnames of Bondas. Bada Nayak, Chalana, the hilltop. In her glance was there a romantic Dhangdamajhi, Dora, Jigree,Kirsani, Mandora, feel. The driver said that they had reached Muduli, Sisha, etc. are the surnames of the Mudulipada. Charlotte got down along with her Bondas. They are classified under two clans: friend and daughter. Pointing towards a house in Khila(Tiger clan) and Hantala(Serpent clan). The front Somaru said that it was an office for the names are also quite strange and interesting for Bonda Development Project. Beside it was there which Bonda men and women are with the same names. They are named after the day of the week the high school of Mudulipada. The boundary wall on which they are born for example one who is visible at the back was that of a girls’ born on Sunday is called Adi or Adibari; likewise dormitory(Kanya Ashram). who is born on Monday is called Soma, Somari Then they started towards the village. The or Somaru; similarly on Tuesday – Mangalaa, friend of Charlotte asked Somaru,”Would you Mangalu; on Wednesday – Budha, Budhei; on please tell us about the Bonda villages?” Charlotte Thursday – Lachami, Lachama, Guru, Gurubari; switched on the video camera and Somaru began on Friday – Sukra, Sukree and those on Saturday to speak. are named as Sania, Sonia, Soni,etc.

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A little distance away from the community Puja is performed by hanging a string stitched with centre they came across the sacred place of their mango leaves on the door. In addition to this , village deity . Somaru said, “He is our god ‘Singi friendship is established with the accompaniment Arke’.” of Mahaprasad like the Hindu custom. The Charlotte asked, “Is it related to eminent anthropologist Berriar Elwin and Milia Konark?” Somaru replied, “Yes. The word ‘Arka’ Badanayak had become friends in this way during has originated from Sanskrit which means ‘sun’. the pre-independence period and this Milia of And ‘Singi Arke’ means both sun and moon gods Mudulipada added a new dimension to his who inspire us to live. Mundas call the same god research. Mahaprasad friendship can be as ‘Singi Bonga’, and the Santalas as ‘Singi established by offering someone the ‘bhoga’of the Chanda’. Under lies the goddess Basumati and Mahaprabhu(the Lord Supreme). above is Dharma Devata or the god of truth and Charlotte said, “I know, Mahaprasad is righteousness. They only are the creation, they related to the Prasad of Jagannath.” The stamp only are the creators. of Hinduism is noticed everywhere: all the rituals Somaru said with a pause, “In your at the time of puja, birth, death and funeral rites. language, this is the sun god, the source of all The researchers observe that the sound of ‘Om’ energy. We believe that one is cured of deadliest owes its origin to the sound of Bonda ‘Houm’ diseases like leprosy if one worships him. pronounced by the chief priest during his chanting Charlotte recollected that such a story was of hymns at the time of the worship of Patakhanda. narrated by the tourist guide during her visit to “How strange!” the friend of Charlotte Konark. An interesting question arose in her mind commented. and she enquired with an astonishing look – “Are Moreover, the characters of the they Hindus?” Ramayana and the Mahabharat have been given Somaru gave a little break and thought utmost importance in the folktales and legends of that the foreign tourists who come here are only the Bondas. A lot of legends have developed interested to take photos of bare bodies of Bonda woven mostly around Lord Rama, Lakshmana , women, purchase from them a few coloured Seeta and Bhima. In this Mudulipada we find the beads, listen to some folktales and then return to Seetakunda associated with the memory of Seeta. their countries. But this foreign lady is truly a And Bhima is the great hero in the folktales scholar to link ‘Singi Arke’ with Konark and is pertaining to Patakhanda and paddy cultivation. curious to know whether Bondas are Hindus. He Seeta, the wife of Lord Rama is no other than then replied, “ Yes, Madam, they are Hindus. You Mahalakshmi in our legends. She is the goddess can trace here the philosophy of the ancient Indus of agriculture and crops. We believe that there Civilisation. Mark, a disc has been carved out on will be a good harvest if she is pleased. It has the door of that house. You will find almost the been mentioned in the “Koushika Sutra” of Rig same mark on most of the doors of Bonda houses. Veda, the oldest scripture of Hinduism. The animal It is the rising sun, the symbol of Singi Arke. The that has been described in the folktales of ‘Singi Bonda houses are built in accordance with the bora’ strikingly resemble the ‘Barah Avatar ’of Vaastu Shastra of Hindu tradition. While making Lord Vishnu( Lord Vishnu in the incarnation of a the Griha Prabesha(first entering to a new house) wild boar). And the descriptions in the Taiteriya

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Samhita and Taiteriya Brahmana point towards modern Odisha wear the loin clothes in the same the same animal. style. Charlotte expressed her desire that they Then all of them got up. Somaru led them would like to take rest for some time. Somaru to a ‘dhangdi house’(a young girl of marriageable spread a bedsheet in the shade of a tree for the age) where the sweet fragrance of art and culture purpose. All had a little rest. At that time the sun of Bonda life spread all around. The revelry of was just above the head. Somaru gave them bread songs and dance vibrated everywhere for nights and butter that they carried. A few children had together. Here the custom of marriage is carried gathered around the foreign lady, most of them out in a democratic way centring round the were completely naked. Charlotte asked Somaru ‘dhangdi’ house. The unmarried girls spend the to give them something. He gave them a few nights in this house lost in dance and merriment. pieces of bread, they received but threw the If a boy likes any one of them, he chooses her by pieces without eating them. Her daughter Emily gifting her a ring or bracelets in the style of looked astonishingly at her and said, “What ‘swayambara’. Later the marriage is solemnized happened, mom?”Somaru trying to assuage the with the consent of the family. But from the point embarrassment said, “Please don’t mind. They of view of the age, the girl happens to be older are fond of only their conventional food — Suan, than the boy. This is the peculiarity in the Bonda ragi , and rice produced by Bondas themselves. marriage. A few years ago, the people of Asiatic Research The discussions and deliberations that Centre had collected samples of three hundred Charlotte had listened to in the seminar held at varieties of paddy from the basin of Machhkund, the University of New York paled into and from Chitrakonda and Balimela area. They insignificance before the enlightening presentation found the evidence that the Bondas were the first of Somaru. She gained much more from Somaru to cultivate paddy in the world. Because this was than what she expected to study. She could the oldest civilisation amongst all. discover the primitive source of knowledge, had Charlotte said, “But they are very poor.” many valuable photos in different styles and at Somaru asserted with strong self-confidence that different places. She wished to take with her some they never accept and absorb other’s culture. of the bangles and chains of multi-coloured beads Look how they are dressed. Attempts have been used by the Bonda women before she returned taken to make them wear clothes and bring them and she expressed it before Somaru. He to the mainstream of civilized life. But they did conveyed the fascination of the foreign lady to not accept. But the women make their clothes the Bonda women standing at a little distance. with the threads prepared out of the barks of After a discussion with Somaru in their own Salupsar and Insea trees normally found in Africa, language, they entered inside a cottage and came South America, Indonesia and Oceania. The out with certain chains of multi- coloured beads. weaving method of Bonda women is quite Somaru informed the lady that they wanted conventional. It is almost similar to that of Nicobar money. The lady gladly gave them a hundred and Oganda. There is the description of wearing rupee note at which Somaru again said, “ This is of such clothes in the ancient Hindu mythology. too much, madam.” She replied, “I know, but I Even today the people of ‘Mahima Cult’ in want to help them.”

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The sun was in the western sky gradually offered him Rs. 5000/ but he declined. However, fading out. Somaru said, “Now we have to she forced him to accept it and appreciated : “You return.” The foreign lady was reluctant to leave are very talented, I like you.” Somaru left. the place because the more she stayed there the Charlotte did not have sleep in the night. more she was transported to a world of mystery She went on replaying the video cassette and and wonder by the revealing narrations of Somaru. studied the recordings from different angles. Next Then it was the time of Chaitra festival. It would day she flew back to Sweden. After she arrived start from the day after. The men will go on hunting there, she presented all the fascinating details about and all will be lost in the revelry of singing and the primitive man of the world , the Bondas, on dance. While returning from the village, they saw the news channels, in the exhibitions and seminars; a group of Bonda women singing under a tree: the presentation was so unique. She never forgot Ane ne...neaane ... ne ..ne.. to express her gratitude to Somaru for helping Amba adriga nelei her collecting precious materials and historical data Amba o onder ah tane leidai on the Bondas. Her concluding remark: “ I love Ane ne ...neaane ... ne ..ne.. India, I love Odisha and I love the people of Somaru told Charlotte, “This is their Mudulipada,” reverberated with the lasting folksong.” They returned. They left Mudulipada impression she carried with her. behind. Those primitive men of history disappeared in the distant horizon. The vehicle (Mrs.Charlotte is the wife of the world famous moved ahead. The evening had already set in, painter P.K.Mahanandia. This is a special portrait the twilight moon had sojourned over the sky. On of her visit to Mudulipada.) the way back Somaru unlocked the untold legends and folktales before them like an office file. They reached Malkangiri at about 8 O’ clock in the night. The vehicle stopped at the circuit house. Dr. Debashis Patra, Lecturer in Odia, Rajdhani College, Somaru wanted to take leave of them. Charlotte Bhubaneswar.

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