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New Indian Express
17-07-2025
- New Indian Express
RDC probe into plough pulling punishment to tribal couples in Odisha's Koraput, Rayagada
JEYPORE: The Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), Southern Division has ordered a probe into two incidents of young couples forced to plough fields as a measure of purification and punishment for marrying within the same clan. A senior officer of the RDC office visited Narayanapatana block in Koraput and Kalyansinghpur block in Rayagada district to inquire about the brutal punishment imposed by villagers on the couples. During two-day visit from Monday to Tuesday, deputy director Ashok Satapathy accompanied by local officials from both districts visited Konjamjodi and Pedaitiki villages where the alleged inhumane acts were committed by tribal community members. The officials conducted awareness meetings in the villages with Kondh community heads, advising them against such inhumane traditions that violate basic human rights. Government officials, PRI members, and members of tribal community participated in the meetings. They also took oath from villagers to not repeat such inhumane traditions and advised them to maintain traditions through normal means without punishing anyone. 'The tribals carried out 'Ambopani' rituals by tying the couple to a yoke and forced them to pull plough on the village road. It was an inhumane and illegal act in the name of tradition. We advised people not to repeat such acts in the future by taking law into their hands.' The ground report will be provided to the RDC after completion of the visit for further action, he added.
New Indian Express
15-07-2025
- New Indian Express
Koraput couple forced to pull plough for marrying against customs: Police register case, start probe
JEYPORE: A day after a tribal couple was tied to a yoke and paraded like bullocks through the streets of Pedaitiki village in Narayanapatana block, Koraput police suo motu registered a case on Monday and started investigation into the inhuman incident. As part of probe, the Narayanapatana block development officer (BDO), tehsildar and IIC visited Pedaitiki and inquired about the involvement of villagers who forced Narendra Pidika (22) and Asanti Pidika (21) to undergo the 'purification' ritual for marrying in the same tribal clan. Around six villagers were also called to Narayanapatana police station for questioning and later released. Koraput collector V Keerthi Vasan asked all the BDOs of the district to spread awareness among the tribal communities in their respective areas not to adopt such practices in the name of purification rituals. The collector also urged the PRI members to remain alert and prevent such acts by tribal communities. 'The administration has taken the issue very seriously and directed the BDOs and PRI members to prevent such inhuman acts in the tribal villages. No one will be allowed to harm anyone's self respect or rights in such a manner. People found indulging in these practices will face strict action,' he added. Sources said Narendra and Asanti Pidika, both belonging to the Kondh community, fell in love and got married. They eloped to Andhra Pradesh during the Rath Yatra festival and returned to their respective homes three days back. However, their union was not accepted by the tribal community which considered marriage between blood relatives a taboo. On Sunday, a meeting was convened by village elders and family members of the couple following which they decided to carry out the 'purification' ritual before accepting the marriage. As part of the ritual, the couple was tied to a yoke and paraded like bullocks on the streets of Pedaitiki in full public view. Subsequently, they were made to offer prayers before the village deity and finally allowed to stay in Narendra's house.
New Indian Express
06-07-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Shell to art, the Tumba way
RAYAGADA: Dry bottle gourds, or Tumba in local parlance, never go waste in Rayagada. Traditionally, Kondh farmers of the district used dry gourd shells as containers to drink water, 'mandia jau' or even the local brew but today, these shells are statement pieces of fine art in urban households. The contemporary twist is the contribution of Himanshu Sekhar Pandia, a Rayagada-based master craftsman. He not only introduced Odisha to tumba craft and built a tribal economy around it but has also been training tribals and non-tribals in it for close to two decades through his Prerana Art and Craft centre. The craft was included in the state's official list of handicrafts by the department of Handloom, Textile and Handicraft last year, thanks to Pandia's unrelenting efforts. Every year, he trains around 25 to 30 tribal and non-tribal people in the craft, an initiative that is supported by DC(Handicrafts) and the State government. It includes functional and decorative pieces like lamp shades, sculptures, jewellery, toys, crockery products and much more. Back in the early 2000, during a trip to Rayagada, Pandia saw some tribal farmers carrying water in tumba shells to their farms. A diploma holder in fine arts, he decided to refine the hard, dried bottle gourd shells to prepare functional pieces. Before carving, chiselling or painting motifs on them, the hollowed, dry shells are sorted as per their size, cleaned and scrubbed with sandpaper. 'So far, I have trained close to 600 people in this craft and during the training period, which lasts from three months to one year, the trainees get a monthly remuneration of Rs 6,000 which is funded by the government,' he said. The trainees are mostly women from villages nearby Rayagada.
The Hindu
27-06-2025
- The Hindu
Discover Koraput: Odisha's hidden gem of peaks, tribes and pristine landscapes
The highway from Visakhapatnam leaves behind the coast and cuts inward, winding into hills, moving past roadside tea stalls and fields. In about four hours from the Visakhapatnam, I cross the Andhra-Odisha border into Rayagada and approach Similiguda in Odisha's Koraput district. Here, navigation becomes more intuitive, led less by maps and more by remembered landmarks, turns in the road and the occasional instruction from a passing voice. Koraput district in southern Odisha has a layered geography. It is hilly but not alpine, forested without being impenetrable. It is a place where social and ecological landscapes are entangled in everyday life. The indigenous tribes, Paraja, Gadaba, Bonda and Kondh among others, have lived here for centuries. Their presence forms the region's cultural identity. I am headed toward a stretch of highlands that, until not long ago, lived primarily in the accounts of seasoned adventure travellers. Deomali and Talamali, two striking peaks in Odisha's Koraput district, recently stepped into the public eye. The catalyst was cinema. Director SS Rajamouli had selected these remote elevations as filming locations for key scenes in his upcoming project SSMB29. The attention was recent, but the terrain remains largely untouched by it. Deomali, Odisha's highest point at 1,672 meters, is about two hours by road from Similiguda. The road to it is manageable, even if slightly indifferent in parts. What awaits at the summit, however, is not merely a view, but a sense of proportion. Hills do not compete here. They form sequences, rolling softly toward the horizon, none clamouring for more attention than the next. On the morning I reach the top, mist moves lazily across the lower valleys, not quite lifting but never quite settling. The air is dry, faintly cold and holds the scent of stone and soil. Tourism here is modest, almost reluctant. A few State-sponsored signs and a gate announce Deomali as a destination, but there are no large commercial interventions. This, perhaps, explains why it was selected as a key location for the second schedule of SSMB29. According to local authorities, the Odisha schedule of the shoot centred primarily around Talamali, a lesser known, almost uncharted mountain top; but now Deomali, too, had film vans and lighting rigs making slow inroads across its plains. Soaking in the fresh air for an hour, I turn towards Talamali, which is less than an hour from the same base. If Deomali is known in brochures and State tourism circuits, Talamali remains mostly undocumented. Yet it may well be the more distinctive of the two. Locals refer to it as the 'Table-Top Mountain'. The summit is exactly that. Flat, level, and expansive, unlike anything else in the region. There are no obvious signposts or visitor facilities. The route is known by those who live nearby. A young guide from the Gadaba tribe accompanies me on the final stretch. His pace is unhurried, his instructions minimal. Talamali Talamali occupies the summit of a broad, commanding mountain, its elevation granting it a vantage few places in Koraput can match. The road leading to it is wide, well-maintained. From its main clearing, the land appears to drop away on all sides, unfolding into a broad tableau of uninterrupted hills and ridges that stretch deep into the horizon. The terrain is layered with green folds. Here, the sweep of the sky feels unusually close, especially during the monsoon. The approach to Talamali is as revealing as the summit itself. Along the winding roads, tribal men and women appear by the roadside, walking towards fields, sometimes seated at road points. As I near the destination, there are no visible signs of habitation until my gaze follows a sloping ridgeline and lands on a broad signage fixed across a distant slope: Talamali. Talamali has begun to register on the itineraries of local travellers. Its growing presence on social media is apparent. Some arrive equipped more for content than for experience. A few discarded wrappers and plastic bottles scattered along the slope tell their own story. If any conservation is to be meaningful, especially here where natural and cultural continuity still hold, it will need to begin with simple, decisive measures. The chief among them, a strict ban on plastic. Stay options There are hardly any places to stay in or around either Deomali or Talamali. At the base of Deomali, a modest eco-stay facility serves travellers, but it is limited in both space and amenities. A larger ecotourism project that was coming up atop Deomali is currently halted, following a stay order issued by the National Green Tribunal. Talamali offers no such option. How to reach Koraput is located at a distance of 200 kilometres from Visakhapatnam. The place is well-connected by road and train from Visakhapatnam. Stay options are limited at Deomali. Travellers can stay in Rayagada, which is located at a distance of about 100 kilometres. Anija Golf Resort in Rayagada conducts day-long packages to Deomali and Talamali that include travel and a taste of Koraput cuisine. For this reason, many visitors base themselves in and around Semiliguda or Rayagada. Anija Golf Resort, located at Rayagada about 100 kilometres from Koraput, is among the few proper accommodations in the vicinity. With its well-kept grounds, over 30 cottages, quiet atmosphere and logistical support, it fills the gap. The resort also organises day tours to both Deomali and Talamali, led by people who know the terrain well.
New Indian Express
03-06-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Lights up: Jeelugulova tribals celebrate freedom from darkness
VISAKHAPATNAM: For the first time, the tribals of Jeelugulova, a remote PVTG (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group) hamlet atop Samalamma Hill in Cheemalapadu panchayat of Ravikamatham mandal in Anakapalle district, have seen electric lights brighten their village. Marking the occasion with joy and emotion, the villagers celebrated the moment with traditional Dhimsa dance on Sunday night. The hilltop village, home to eight families and around 50 people, has long lived in darkness, relying on fire torches and kerosene lamps. Surrounded by dense forest and facing the constant threat of wild animals after nightfall, the villagers spent many years in fear and isolation. 'Even to charge a mobile phone, we had to walk nearly 7 kilometres to Bangaru Bandalu, the nearest village with a power supply. Night travel often came with the risk of snake bites and injuries,' the tribals recalled. Some years ago, a few solar panels were provided to the village by social workers, offering limited relief from darkness. However, villagers recall that these panels often became ineffective during heavy rains, as they were prone to flooding. The residents, belonging to the Kondh tribal community, primarily depend on cashew cultivation for their livelihood, while turmeric farming also supports their seasonal income. Over the years, Jeelugulova's residents repeatedly raised their concerns at Zilla Parishad meetings in the erstwhile united Visakhapatnam district, requesting basic infrastructure like electricity and roads. 'Recognise us as people, give us light,' they had appealed, often holding torches during protests. After repeated protests, their plea eventually drew the attention of the National Human Rights Commission and senior district officials. In 2022, the then District Collector of Anakapalle, Pattanshetti Ravi Subash, along with Narsipatnam RDO Ronanki Govinda Rao and other divisional officials, visited the village. Jeelugulova tribals thank EE & Collector Following the visit, the administration issued Aadhaar and ration cards and promised electricity, drinking water, and road connectivity. However, the promises took time to materialise. Now, under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN) Scheme, Jeelugulova finally has access to electricity. The villagers expressed heartfelt gratitude to the executive engineer of the electricity department and the district collector for fulfilling a long-standing need. Residents Korra Balaraju and Korra Mahesh, along with K Govinda Rao, district committee member of the CPI(M), conveyed their thanks to the officials who helped bring light to their village.
