People of India: Odisha; vol. XVI (part i & ii)

People of India ODISHA Volume XVI (Part Two) The Anthropological Survey of India launched the People of India project on 2 October 1985 to generate an anthropological profile of all communities of the country. It also recorded the impact of developmental programmes on these communities and the links that bring them together. Odisha, renowned as 'Kalinga' and 'Utkal,' was recognized for maritime voyage and overseas trade. The textile heritage and rich handicrafts (bell metal, appliqué works, terracotta, pattachitra, stone carving works, silver filigree) reflect the advanced craftsmanship of Odisha. Bhubaneshwar, Puri and Konark constitute the Golden Triangle. The greatest achievement of temple architecture is the Sun temple at Konark, which is shaped like a ratha and drawn by horses, representing time. The illustrious Odia poet Jayadeva depicted the eternal love-story of Radha and Krishna in Gita-Govinda. Buddhism and Jainism have had a strong influence and features of egalitarianism and vegetarianism are traced to these religions. Indeed, the Jagannath cult is an amalgamation of diverse religious cults. Odisha is broadly divided into four ecological-cultural regions, where live 279 communities, who are studied in the People of India volume. 226 communi-ties, including 67 SC and 56 ST, largely live in villages. The majority of communities (94.67%) follow Hin-duism. Forty-seven tribes retain folk religions. People recognize gotra and place themselves in varna hierar-chy, though tremendous laxity in social-ritual norms is noted. Inter-community cultural and economic linkages are widespread, mainly on account of the equalizing influence of the Jagannath cult. These linkages include exchange of food/water, economic resources, religious shrines and cremation ground. In all, 43
languages are spoken in Odisha. Many tribes speak their own languages. Indeed, an uninterrupted Adi-vasi-Hindu interaction shaped the cultural history of western-southern Odisha. Ritual or putative kinship is established between 195 communities. Odisha accounts for a sizeable presence of the artisans, metallurgists and craftsmen among tribes. It is a rice-growing state and hence Odia cuisine is dominated by numerous rice preparations, including the Mahaprasad at Jagannath temple. One hundred and sixty-three Odia communities (58.42%) are non-vegetarian. Odisha, endowed with rich mineral deposits, for-est, fertile land, plentiful surface and groundwater resources, a long coastline and picturesque tourism sites, has witnessed an industrial upsurge in recent years. The literacy rate of Odisha has rapidly im-proved. Centres of higher education and research exist. There has been widespread awareness among the Odias regarding education, health, employment, and public distribution system even though the benefits have not reached evenly among the communities.


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