Dumal

Dumal, also called as Dumala (also known as Nanda Gaudas in eastern Odisha), is a community found in western Odisha, India.^{[ citation needed ]}

This caste is categorised as an Other Backward Class according to Reservation system of India. ^[1]

Origin

They were the milk suppliers of Puri and their role was to supply milk, curd and ghee to the temple and guard Lord Jagannath in Puri. ^[2]

One day, a vulture was found sitting on the Neelachakra of the temple. The puja pandit (priest) had a dream and came to know that the ghee served was impure, for which Lord Jagannath was dissatisfied and thus this vulture appeared. The puja pandit secretly informed the Gajapati Maharaja of this and the King ordered punishment. One official from the court secretly informed the suppliers about the king's decision to punish them next day. ^[3] That night those innocent people who supplied ghee to the temple, left their houses in Puri with their families to save themselves and went towards the west. ^[4]

References

1. Gazette of India, 27 October 1994. Retrieved on 24 July 2014.
2. Servorum, Servus (2015). Mysticism in the Temple of Jagannath at Puri, Orissa. Abhijeet Publications. ISBN   978-93-5074-124-5.
3. Mahanti (Retd), Col J. C. (2014-05-01). The Saga of Jagannatha and Badadeula at Puri (Story of Lord Jagannatha and his Temple). Vij Books India Pvt Ltd. ISBN   978-93-82652-45-8.
4. Patra, Avinash (2011-06-23). Origin & Antiquity of the Cult of Lord Jagannath. Oxford University Press.

Further reading

• Russell, R.V. (1916). The Tribes And Castes Of The Central Provinces Of India. Vol. II. pp. 530–535.
• "Social Structure of Western Orissa Under the Chauhans of Sambalpur". Journal of History & Social Sciences. Archived from the original on 2012-12-23. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
• Sociological Bulletin. Indian Sociological Society. 2000.