People of Orissa and their life style

Orissa serves as the coastal passage between the northern and southern parts of India. It is because of this geographical location that the people belonging to both Aryan race and the Dravidian race make up the population of the state. Other racial influences also seem to have enriched the culture of its people. Even today, Oriya people have maintained the age-old traditional values in their lifestyle. Since prehistoric times, Orissa has been inhabited by several tribal people. Infact, it is an assemblage of nearly 62 distinctive tribal groups.

They have made the wooded vicinity and forested hills of the state as their home. Some of these tribal people can also be seen residing along the countryside of Orissa. The more commonly known tribes of the state consist of Saora and Sabar. Most of the tribal people out here follow the customs and traditions of Hindus. This is because of the reason that Hinduism has spread its influence all over the state. The best example of such tribes is that of Bonda Parajas of Koraput district.

Out of all the tribes living in Orissa, the most ethnic ones are those of the Kondhas and the Souras/Lanjia Souras. Kondhas comprise of the primitive tribes of the state and can be found in its, almost, all the districts. However, the places where they have highest concentration are Rayagada, Kashipur, Kalyansinghpur, Bissamcuttack and Muniguda. Souras tribes can be found occupying Gunupur, Padmapur and Gudari. Though some of these tribes have started assimilating with other people, there are some who still retain their tribal customs and traditions.

Lifestyle

Ancient Orissa was a confluence of racial streams. History tells us that the Aryans entered Orissa from the north-east, subjugated the primitive people living there and imposed on them their language and culture. The story could not be so simple; for the people then living in the land were not perhaps all of the primitive type, nor were they subjugated culturally. What might have happened in all Probability was a racial and cultural amalgamation.

Geographically Orissa stands as a coastal corridor between the northern and southern India cut off by the intractable Vindhyas. It is natural therefore that an assimilation of the races and cultures of the Aryans and the Dravidians; must have taken place here in the days of gore.

At the same time successive racial and cultural tides might have surged up from the different sides, rolled in and broken over this bound culminating in the indo-cultural synthesis.

Orissa, which is largely rural, the traditional values are still kept alive. In general the values have no doubt weakened but they are not lost. Among die innocent Advisees dwelling in the wooded hinterland and forested hill slopes, India's earliest civilization is retained in its pristine form.

Not only in their secluded hamlets, bet also in the countless thousands of villages in the country sides one can catch a glimpse of the dwindling horizon of humanity, through the innocent and benign outlook of tile villagers. A sensitive person who happens to be a prisoner of the modern society with its stress and strain will not, while in a typical village, fail to mark the relationship of its common people with God, nature and their fellow men.