History of the Kudmis in Eastern India : A Study on Their Society, Economy and Culture

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

Dr. Jatindra Nath Singh Deb Sachan, (Dec. 17, 1962) is a Post Graduate Alumni of Utkal University, Vanivihar, Bhubaneswar, who has served as the Principal and Reader in History, B.B.College, Baiganbadia in the District of Mayurbhanj in Odisha. He has awarded Ph.D. Degree in History from North Orissa University, Mayurbhanj for his research work entitled, "A Cultural History of the Kudmis of Mayurbhanj" in 2008. Thereafter he took further research work on the Lodhas, an aggressive tribe of the District which earned him the prestigious D.Litt. Degree in the subject again from North Orissa University for the thesis entitled," Changing Socio-Economic and Cultural Profile of the Lodhas of Mayurbhanj" in the year 2017. The present book is a print adaptation of the Ph.D. research work on the Kudmis under the title, "History of the Kudmis of Mayurbhanj, Eastern India: A Study on their Society, Economy and Culture". He has done two Minor Research Projects and organized Two National Seminar in History with UGC assistance. He published a book entitled, "The Lodhas of Mayurbhanj, Eastern India: A Recent Study on the Socio-Economic Profiles" and three Proceedings of the Seminars. His forty five articles have been published in various journals of State and National repute. Presently he is a Member of Subject Research Committee in Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanjdeo University, Baripada and Member of the Board of Studies of MSCB University, Dharanidhar University, Keonjhar and M.P.C. Autonomous College, Baripada, Member of Indian History Congress, Executive Member of Odisha History Congress. This is a kind of first historical work on the Kudmis of Mayurbhanj in particular and Eastern India in genera.

The

The east Indian States like Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Chhatisgarh and Assam are very rich for the habitation of the Kudmi community. In the State of Odisha the Kudmis are mainly found in the district of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Jajpue, Balasore and Anugul. The Kudmis migrated and settled in different parts of north Odisha in the past. The home land of the Kudmis was Manbhum, a part of the Chhotnagpur Platue. The Kudmis of Eastern India are completely separate from the Kudmis of North and South Indian States on the basis of their socio cultural life, subsistence pattern, physical features, language etc. They are well known as an agrarian community of India. In the year 1913 they were classified as a primitive tribe, but later on they were discarded from the tribal list. Presently the Kudmis of Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha were struggling hard to include them again in the tribal groups. Their socio Economic and Cultural life is changing in course of time. All the important aspects has been dicussed in the present book entitled, "History of the Kudmis of Mayurbhanj, Eastern India: A Study on their Society, Economy and Culture" which is an outcome of the extensive research on the Kudmis. This work will contribute for a better understanding on the History and Culture of the Kudmis of Eastern India, will be helpful to the young researchers, scholars and administrators for more research on to understand them

The

W Tith the advancement of historiography, regional history has allured research scholars. The hitherto neglected research on the history of the tribals and other backward communities have been galvanised in the last two or three decades. Orissa, like other parts of India, is a state where a good number of tribes and backward.communities are found. Now a day intrest has been generated to bring to limelight the history and culture of different tribes and other backward community. Keeping this in view, the book entitled History of the Kudmis of Mayurbhanj, Eastern India: A Study on their Society, Economy and Culture is a pointer in this direction, The peculiar fact is that the Kudmis were included in the Tribal List before 1956, but due to the socio-political pull and push and by the manipulations of the elites of different states, this communities was discarded from the Scheduled Ttribe List in India in 1956. The forgotten chapters of the Kudmis were to be relegated to distant background had there been no attempt in that direction. The fragments of their life style, culture, customs, folklores, folk songs and the performing arts with neighbouring tribal communities published in some journals & booklets now and then drew the attention of the present research scholar and it served as the background for persuing research on "History of the Kudmis of Mayurbhanj, Eastern India: A R Study on their Society, Economy and Culture". Although the history of the Kudmis is shrouded in mystery without a referance to their socio-economic cultural life, the history of Orissa in general and Mayurbhanj in particular, will remain incomplete. Their appearance as an agricultural community, subsequent participation in the army of the Bhanj Kings, assumption of tribal characters and later on transformation into general caste and such other queer development project diverse facets of the Kudmis. All these aspects have been taken into consideration while preparing thir history. The research design is discussed below. In chapter I, the early history of the Kudmis with special references to literary works like the Puranas, Vedas and other works has been described. Saint Kurma as mentioned in the Vedic literature was the founder of the Kudmi clan. Then the main branch was divided into a number of sub classes which were later known as the Gotras. The Kudmis are a class of skilled cultivators, who are considered as the sons of the soil or Bhumiputras as well as great warriors who protected the boundary of the state of Mayurbhanj during the Bhanja rule. In the Chapter II, a historical sketch of Mayurbhanj with its geographical conditions has been presented. The Bhanja rulers of the state encouraged the Kudmis for their settlement in the state of Mayurbhanj for better cultivation. Though a few Kudmis had already settled in the state, a good number of them migrated to Bhanjhhum during the rule of Sriram Chandra Bhanjdeo. The main causes of their migration were their migratory character, the climatic conditions of Chhotnagpur, population growth, royal support of Mayurbhanj persecution by the Muslims and the exploitation of the British Government. The Kudmis fell safe and got patches of uncultivated lands in the forest areas of Mayurbhanj The Chapter III of the book reveals that the tribes like the Lodhas, the Santhals, Bhumijs. Kols and others are immensely influenced by the Kudmi culture. The Santhals regard them as their elder brothers. It was on the basis of their co-existence and some similarities in their cultural traditions, they were regarded as scheduled tribes from 1931 till 1956. After long deliberations of the Kudmi Mahasabha, they claimed that they were Kshatriyas and not tribes. Finally they were struck off the Scheduled Tribe List. Again the Kudmis under the leadership of Mr Thakurdas Mohanta attemped to enlist the Kudmis in the Scheduled Tribe List but failed due to diverse opinions among them. On the basis of the above facts, the Kudmis" relation with other tribes has been discussed at length. Even today both the Kshatriya movement and the movement for the inclusion of Scheduled Tribe List are going on among the Kudmis of Mayurbhanj In Chapter IV, the salient features of the Kudmis and their age old social traditions in a life cycle has been mentioned. The Kudmis peculiar birth rituals, different types of marriage traditions, youth organisations, family life, lineage traditions,festivals, food habits, village administrations, etc. deserve mention. The Kudmis follw the birth rituals related to their own old traditions. In the past, they observed their death rituals with the help of the Vaishnavas. No Brahmin priest was allowed to their ritual performances. Gradually this pattern of purification has been changed and the Brahmin priests are playing major roles in the death-ritual ceremonies. The marriage ceremony, Tusu festival, Jawa ritual, Karam and Bandna festivals of the Kudmis begin and end with their songs. Makar is their grand festival. It is the festival especially of the women. Bandana festival is meant for the cattle worship. Karam is another important festival of the Kudmis. The women are not neglected in the Kudmi society. Chapter V, entitled, "Economic Life of the Kudmis", deals about the miserable agricultural life of the Kudmis in particular and other artisans of Mayurbhanj in general.In the past the Kudmis engaged themselves in shifting or Daha cultivation in the forest lands. Gradually, they learnt the Dahi, Ashu, Pala and then the wet land cultivation. They consider cultivable lands even more valuable than gold. Prelude to 1847, the rate of assessment was made per plough. After the classification, land revenue was imposed on the basis of the quality and fertility of the lands. Bartar system was a common phenomenon of the Kudmis which is still prevalent among them to some extent. After the preservation and protection of forests by the Govt., they could not get sufficient, wood for fuel and other materials for fencing which caused obstacles in the production of greens. Though the Kudmis raised livestock, they had not taken up animal husbandry on a large scale.