|
|
|
 |
Chaitra ParvaThe most important festival of the tribal people of Koraput is Chaitra Parva.It is also observed by the Bhuiyans of Mayurbhanj, Sudargarh and Keonjhar. Bhuiyans are an ancient Hinduised tribe who greatly influenced the culture of the other tribes. They are also found in Seraikela and Kharswan regions of the district of Singbhoom in Bihar, where the festival is observed with great enthusiasm. For the whole month of Chaitra the tribal people remain in festive mood. They wear new clothes, sacrifice animals and birds before their gods, feast drink, sing and dance. During the daytime women, young and old, keep on singing and dancing. The men go out hunting in the jungle. They bring whatever animal comes to their sight. They do not spare a jackal even, whatever kill they bring, the meat is distributed among all the villagers. The nights are spent in drinking, singing and dancing. Sume-GelirakThe Bondas of Koraput are an interesting primitive tribe. They live on hilltops and lead a secluded life. Their interaction with other tribes is very rare. Among many festivals of the year, the most important festival for them is known as Sume-Gelirak. All the year young men and women look forward to the festival as it gives them ample freedom in all respects. The festival starts on a Sunday and continue for ten days. During the first few days, they worship their traditional Gods and demons as well. The Sisa or the tribal priest does the rituals of sacrificing animals and birds and propitiating the deities with liquor. Then amusement through dancing and singing begins with full vigor. Young men and women make dancing expeditions to neighboring villages and during the dance choose their life partners. However, the most serious and dramatic part of the festival is castigation. It begins first with little boys. Some one takes up the drum and beats it loudly and others join with him. The boys stand in pairs, front to front, and strike each other as hard as they can with pliant branches of a tree stripped off its foliage. When they had enough of it, they salute each other and embrace, and another pair takes their place. When all the boys of the village complete this piquant exercise, the Sisa gives them cakes to stop all quarrels and delivers a little lecture of friendship and good behavior. The following evening this castigation is repeated with young men and even the old. They bow each other with folded hands and start dancing to the frantic beats of the drums and then hitting hard with the branches. Blood flows from their wounds and watching the situation the Sisa stops them. Then they touch each other's feet and embrace hugging and lifting the other in the air. Bija PanduThe festival of Chaitra parva is known as Bija Pandu among the tribal people known as Koya who are concentrated in the Malkangiri sub-division of the district of Koraput.The Koya villages are situated on patches of clearings in the midst of dense forests. In each village there happens to be a Bijigudi or house of Cod. The tribes worship, 'Gudimata', the Mother Earth and also the earth whom they call Bhumu. During the festival they worship the Godlings with liquor and sacrifice an animal or bird. The Bija Pandu is the sacred seed from which the festival takes it name. During the festival, the men go out hunting and fishing in groups and return home before dark. During the daytime, the women keep on singing and dancing, waiting for their men to come. In the evenings, they unite, feast, drink and dance together. The Koyas have special variety of dance for the festival. Men wear huge headgears of bison-horns, which are richly decorated with peacock feathers and cowries. The drums are cylindrical and unusually long. Women wear brass-caps and hold sticks fitted with tinkling bells, which they strike during the dance in between the beats. They dance in circles singing songs of love. Kedu FestivalKedu is the most important festival of the Kondhs of Phulbani, where they are largely concentrated. They are also found in certain areas of the districts of Ganjam and Koraput.The festival is held in different villages in different years. The place and date of the festival are decided years ahead. This festival was well-known for the human sacrifice 'Meria' which was totally stopped during the British rule in India. However to guard the religious sentiments of the tribals this has been substituted now by buffalo-sacrifice. This festival continues for five days and different rituals are prescribed for each day. The sacrifices are made on the third and the fourth days in a most cruel manner. The animal is tethered in the place of worship. Men and women get drunk, dance in frantic mood and then kill the animal by cutting its limbs piece by piece. Then they carry the blood and a piece of meat and bury it in the field where they produce turmeric. They believe that this would yield them a good crop of turmeric as red as the blood of the animal. Through this festival, they propitiate Mother Earth. Maghe ParabThe most important festival of the Ho, Oraon, Kisan and Kol tribes is known as Magha Parab, which is a harvest festival. The festival is observed in honor of the village deity (Mother Goddess) who bestows them with good fortune and protects them from calamities. The festival is observed in different villages on different dates of the month. The ritual comprises a sacrifice of a black fowl before the deity and offering of Mahua liquor. During the festival, all of them wear new clothes. Drinking, singing and dancing together are the common activities of celebrating the festival. The tribes observe 'Damurai Parab' in the summer and 'Horo Parab' during the rains.
Top
Chaitra ParvaThe most important festival of the tribal people of Koraput is Chaitra Parva.It is also observed by the Bhuiyans of Mayurbhanj, Sudargarh and Keonjhar. Bhuiyans are an ancient Hinduised tribe who greatly influenced the culture of the other tribes. They are also found in Seraikela and Kharswan regions of the district of Singbhoom in Bihar, where the festival is observed with great enthusiasm. For the whole month of Chaitra the tribal people remain in festive mood. They wear new clothes, sacrifice animals and birds before their gods, feast drink, sing and dance. During the daytime women, young and old, keep on singing and dancing. The men go out hunting in the jungle. They bring whatever animal comes to their sight. They do not spare a jackal even, whatever kill they bring, the meat is distributed among all the villagers. The nights are spent in drinking, singing and dancing. Sume-GelirakThe Bondas of Koraput are an interesting primitive tribe. They live on hilltops and lead a secluded life. Their interaction with other tribes is very rare. Among many festivals of the year, the most important festival for them is known as Sume-Gelirak. All the year young men and women look forward to the festival as it gives them ample freedom in all respects. The festival starts on a Sunday and continue for ten days. During the first few days, they worship their traditional Gods and demons as well. The Sisa or the tribal priest does the rituals of sacrificing animals and birds and propitiating the deities with liquor. Then amusement through dancing and singing begins with full vigor. Young men and women make dancing expeditions to neighboring villages and during the dance choose their life partners. However, the most serious and dramatic part of the festival is castigation. It begins first with little boys. Some one takes up the drum and beats it loudly and others join with him. The boys stand in pairs, front to front, and strike each other as hard as they can with pliant branches of a tree stripped off its foliage. When they had enough of it, they salute each other and embrace, and another pair takes their place. When all the boys of the village complete this piquant exercise, the Sisa gives them cakes to stop all quarrels and delivers a little lecture of friendship and good behavior. The following evening this castigation is repeated with young men and even the old. They bow each other with folded hands and start dancing to the frantic beats of the drums and then hitting hard with the branches. Blood flows from their wounds and watching the situation the Sisa stops them. Then they touch each other's feet and embrace hugging and lifting the other in the air. Bija PanduThe festival of Chaitra parva is known as Bija Pandu among the tribal people known as Koya who are concentrated in the Malkangiri sub-division of the district of Koraput.The Koya villages are situated on patches of clearings in the midst of dense forests. In each village there happens to be a Bijigudi or house of Cod. The tribes worship, 'Gudimata', the Mother Earth and also the earth whom they call Bhumu. During the festival they worship the Godlings with liquor and sacrifice an animal or bird. The Bija Pandu is the sacred seed from which the festival takes it name. During the festival, the men go out hunting and fishing in groups and return home before dark. During the daytime, the women keep on singing and dancing, waiting for their men to come. In the evenings, they unite, feast, drink and dance together. The Koyas have special variety of dance for the festival. Men wear huge headgears of bison-horns, which are richly decorated with peacock feathers and cowries. The drums are cylindrical and unusually long. Women wear brass-caps and hold sticks fitted with tinkling bells, which they strike during the dance in between the beats. They dance in circles singing songs of love. Kedu FestivalKedu is the most important festival of the Kondhs of Phulbani, where they are largely concentrated. They are also found in certain areas of the districts of Ganjam and Koraput.The festival is held in different villages in different years. The place and date of the festival are decided years ahead. This festival was well-known for the human sacrifice 'Meria' which was totally stopped during the British rule in India. However to guard the religious sentiments of the tribals this has been substituted now by buffalo-sacrifice. This festival continues for five days and different rituals are prescribed for each day. The sacrifices are made on the third and the fourth days in a most cruel manner. The animal is tethered in the place of worship. Men and women get drunk, dance in frantic mood and then kill the animal by cutting its limbs piece by piece. Then they carry the blood and a piece of meat and bury it in the field where they produce turmeric. They believe that this would yield them a good crop of turmeric as red as the blood of the animal. Through this festival, they propitiate Mother Earth. Maghe ParabThe most important festival of the Ho, Oraon, Kisan and Kol tribes is known as Magha Parab, which is a harvest festival. The festival is observed in honor of the village deity (Mother Goddess) who bestows them with good fortune and protects them from calamities. The festival is observed in different villages on different dates of the month. The ritual comprises a sacrifice of a black fowl before the deity and offering of Mahua liquor. During the festival, all of them wear new clothes. Drinking, singing and dancing together are the common activities of celebrating the festival. The tribes observe 'Damurai Parab' in the summer and 'Horo Parab' during the rains.
Top
Top
 |
How to Reach - | |
| By Air : Nearest airport is at Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) |
| By Rail : Well connected from Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata. |
By Road : Convenient road transport facilities are -
available as National Highway (NH43 )passes through the District. |
|
Where to Stay - | |
| Comfortable and economical accommodation arrangements can be availed at Koraput (STD code-06852), Jeypore (STD code-06854), Sunabeda (STD code-06853), Semiliguda (STD code-06853), Gupteswar and Damanjodi (STD code-06853). |
| The list of the htls are here : |
htl's
Name & Address |
htl's
Name & Address |
| Atithi Bhawan, Koraput, Ph.- 250610/251688 |
Rajdhani Lodge, Koraput. Ph.- 252145 |
| Maha Laxmi Lodge, Koraput, Ph.- 250485 |
Sri Krishna Lodge, Koraput |
| D.N.K Guest House, Koraput. Ph.- 251598 |
htl Ambika Heavens, Koraput. Ph.- 250350,252880 |
| Atithi Nivas, Koraput. Ph.- 250254 |
htl Madhumati, Jeypore, Ph.- 240307/241377 |
| htl Apsara, Jeypore, Ph.- 231273/231263/232272/233595 |
htl Princess, Jeypore, Ph.- 230197/230027/231839/230871 |
| htl Hello Jeypore, Jeypore, Ph.- 231127/230900/230905 |
htl Trupti Gold, Jeypore, Ph.- 240001 |
| htl Sai Raj, Jeypore, Ph.- 230756/231071 |
htl Apoorva, Jeypore. Ph.- 230553/233432 |
| htl Shankar, Jeypore, Ph.- 233150 |
Lodge Shanti Nivas, Jeypore, Ph.- 232262 |
| Woodland Lodge, Jeypore, Ph.- 232104/230630 |
Lodge Oorvashi, Jeypore, Ph.- 232654 |
| Apasara Lodge, Jeypore, Ph.- 233020 |
Lodge Ravi, Jeypore, Ph.- 232827 |
| Rose Land Lodge, Jeypore, Ph.- 230639 |
Manorama Lodge, Jeypore, Ph.- 230330 |
| htl Lalit Mahal, Jeypore, Ph.- 233051 |
Indra Bhawan Lodge, Jeypore, Ph.- 231110 |
| Panthika, Sunabeda, Ph.- 220310 |
NAC Guest House, Sunabedam, Ph.- 220315 |
| Sri Ram Lodge, Semiliguda, Ph.- 225511/225598 |
Jagannath Lodge, Semiliguda. Ph.- 225409 |
| Panthasala, Gupteswar |
htl Maa Mangala Guest House, Damanjodi, Ph.- 254455 |
| htl Subham,Jeypore,Ph.-230759 |
htl Monikrishna,Jeypore, Ph.- 231139/233639/233339 |
| htl Shiva,Jeypore,Ph.-231606 |
Sri Krishna Lodge,Jeypore, Ph.- 232277 | | | |
|
|
Coming soon...........
|
Sightseeing Tours - | |
Savara Shrikhetra, Koraput :
The District headquarters situated 2,900 ft. above sea level. Also known as `Sabar Shrikshetra`, the modern Jagannath Temple has come up on a hilltop.
The Tribal Museum behind the temple caters to and educates tourists about the culture and heritage of the tribals. |
Duduma Waterfall, Machkund :
Duduma Waterfall, Machkund:The majestic waterfall, also known as `Matsya Tirtha` falls from a height of 175 meters. A hydro - electric project with its winch developed amidst deep greenery is a place for pleasure.
Three KMs away from Duduma waterfall, a small village of Ankadeli draws the attention of foreign tourists to its weekly markets on Thursdays where the most primitive tribe `the Bondas`, come from the remote, inaccessible dense forest.
Jolaput is known for its newly constructed dam reservoir. The lake formed by the dam is 68.2 Sq. Kms. It's a picnic spot, 77 Kms from Koraput. |
Gupteswar Temple :
Important cave shrine of Lord Shiva situated on a lime stone hill on the bank of river Kolab, surrounded by natural Scenery. The sacred `Lingam` called Gupteswar, literally meaning, `Hidden God`, is also popularly known as `Gupta Kedar` in Chattisgarh. Shivaratri is the major festival which attracts a large umber of visitors. |
Shree Hanumanji, Dumuriput :
A village stands between Koraput and Sunabeda by the side of NH 43. The famous Sri Ram Temple situated in the locality is widely known for the highest kneeling Hanuman Statue in Orissa. Shree Ram Navami festival is popularly celebrated every year which attracts a large number of devotees. |
Nandapur :
The ancient capital of Jeypore estate, attracts a number of visitors to witness the Batrisa Sinhasan, an object of interest. The 1.8 meters image of Ganapati speaks of ancient heritage of the place. The shrines of Sarbeswar and its inscriptions point to the antiquities of the place. |
Jain Statue - A roadside village between Semiliguda and Nandapur with remains of an old Jain monastery. The place invites the attention of the antiquarian for exploration.
Govt. Museum with antiquities and craft works, mostly famous for Jain iconography. It is located close to the Govt. bus stand. Jain images are found at several places of the district. |
Kolab Dam and Reservoir :
Kolab - At an altitude of about 3000 ft. above sea level on river Kolab, stands the majestic Kolab Reservoir generating Hydro Electric Power. The place is highly admired for its scenic beauty, attracting people for weekend picnic and boating.
Damanjodi - The town came to limelight with the coming up of NALCO, Asia's biggest Alumina Complex nearby stands the highest peak of Orissa, Damanjodi an ideal place for trekking. |
Railway Tunnel, Maliguda :
Maliguda 35 Kms eastwards of Jeypore, is a small village where on a hill top stands India's highest broad gauge Railway tunnel. The place is ideal for weekend picnic.
Jeypore - The city of victory and the palace of erstwhile Jeypore estate. The old fort is incircled by high masonary wall with an imposing gateway. A mile and a half wide great water tank, west of the town, known as Jagannath Sagar, is ideal for water sports.
Jeypore, developed as the center of trade in Koraput district, is also famous for paper mask crafts. |
Tribal Museum, Koraput :
Tribal Museum - The Tribal Museum behind the temple caters to and educates the tourists about the culture and heritage of the tribals. |
|
Do’s and Don’ts - | |
| This chapter for tribal areas could be slightly different, hence this has to be modified |
| Indian Cultural Etiquette |
| 1. If you are male introduced to a lady or a grown-up girl, don't take the initiative of offering a handshake. If she extends her hand, you may reciprocate, but don't be the first to extend yours. If you are female and are being introduced to a male: it is up to you - the female - to take the initiative for a handshake. The rule of thumb is: the female extends her hand first, and the male reciprocates. |
| 2. The Western practice of a peck on the cheek as a form of greeting a lady or a grown up girl is not advisable except in the case of those who are used to such practices. |
| 3. Indian English has its own accent and this does vary depending upon the region. The universal welcome greeting across the country is with folded hands and a slight bow. This is called `namaste` or `namashkar`. It should be reciprocated with a smile. |
| 4. Some Indians are in the habit of shaking their head to say yes or no. Please confirm what they mean, if you are not familiar with regional gestures. |
| 5. While visiting places of worship, respect should be shown as required Some Indians do not take alcohol or meat for religious, traditional or personal reasons. This should be kept in mind in entertainment. |
|
Cuisines & Restaurants - | |
| Koraput District has a wide range of htls with multi – cuisine restaurants to suit every palate budget |
Orissa Tourism’s Panthika at Sunabeda
Orissa Tourism’s Panthasala at Gupteswar
Circuit House, Koraput for official guests
DNK Guest House, Koraput
Atithi Bhawan, Koraput
htl Hello Jeypore, htl Princess, htl Apsara, htl Madhumati and htl Trupti Gold at Jeypore , htl Dulphin Plaza at Koraput. |
Coming soon......... |
|
 |
|
