The Gondi (Gōṇḍī) or Gond people, who refer to themselves as "Koitur", are an ethnolinguistic group in India. Their native language, Gondi, belongs to the Dravidian family. They are spread over the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and Odisha. They are listed as a Scheduled Tribe for the purpose of India's system of reservation.
Bhil or Bheel is an ethnic group in western India. They speak the Bhil languages, a subgroup of the Western Zone of the Indo-Aryan languages. Bhils are members of a tribal group outside the fold of Hinduism and the caste system.
Kuruba is a Hindu caste native to the Indian state of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. They are the third-largest caste group in Karnataka. The Kuruba community is also known by the names Kuruba Gowda. The natives of the Indian states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are Hindu castes. It is the third largest caste group in Karnataka. Traditionally, these are Gadarias who used to do the work of sheep/goat and animal husbandry, in which they especially raised mixed herds of sheep and goats and cattle.
Khonds are an indigenous Adivasi tribal community in India. Traditionally hunter-gatherers, they are divided into the hill-dwelling Khonds and plain-dwelling Khonds for census purposes, but the Khonds themselves identify by their specific clans. Khonds usually hold large tracts of fertile land, but still practice hunting, gathering, and slash-and-burn agriculture in the forests as a symbol of their connection to, and as an assertion of their ownership of the forests wherein they dwell. Khonds speak the Kui language and write it in the Odia script.
The Sora are a Munda ethnic group from eastern India. They live in southern Odisha and north coastal Andhra Pradesh.
Reang is a Bru clan of the Northeast Indian state. The Reangs can be found all over the Tripura state in India. However, they may also be found in Assam and Mizoram. They speak the Kaubru language.
Devadiga also known as Moily, Sherigar is a Hindu Community or Caste. Devadigas were traditionally temple servants and musicians in Hindu temples. Devadigas are originally from the land stretching between Karwar in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka and Kasaragod district of Kerala in west-coast of India up to the Chandragiri River and Many People live in Shivamogga and Chikmagalur too. Devadigas are quite distinct from the Ambalavasi(Semi-Brahmin)(temple servants) found elsewhere. It is believed that their two divisions, namely Kannada Devadiga (Moily) and Tulu Devadiga (Moily); were endogamous in the past.
The Maa Sarala Temple is a Hindu temple in the district of Jagatsinghpur, Odisha, India. It is one of the eight most famous Shakta shrines of Odisha.
Nuakhai is an agricultural festival mainly observed by people of Western Odisha in India. Nuakhai is observed to welcome the new rice of the season. According to the calendar it is observed on panchami tithi of the lunar fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada or Bhadraba (August–September), the day after the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. This is the most important social festival of Western Odisha and adjoining areas of Simdega in Jharkhand, where the culture of Western Odisha is much predominant.
Chik Baraik or Baraik are a tribal community originally from the Chota Nagpur plateau and neighbouring states of Chhattisgarh, and Odisha.
Bhumij is a Munda ethnic group of India. They primarily live in the Indian states of West Bengal, Odisha, Assam and Jharkhand, mostly in the old Singhbhum district. Also in states like Bihar and Assam. There is also a sizeable population found in Bangladesh. Bhumijas speak the Bhumij language, an Austroasiatic language, and use Ol Onal script for writing.
Several folk dance forms evolved in different regions of Odisha, Odissi and Chhau being some popular forms. Sambalpuri dance is most popular dance of western Odisha and is enjoyed by many.
The early Dravidian religion constituted a non-Vedic form of Hinduism in that they were either historically or are at present Āgamic. The Agamas are non-Vedic in origin, and have been dated either as post-Vedic texts, or as pre-Vedic compositions. The Agamas are a collection of Tamil and Sanskrit scriptures chiefly constituting the methods of temple construction and creation of murti, worship means of deities, philosophical doctrines, meditative practices, attainment of sixfold desires and four kinds of yoga. The worship of tutelary deities and sacred flora and fauna in Hinduism is also recognized as a survival of the pre-Vedic Dravidian religion. Dravidian linguistic influence on early Vedic religion is evident; many of these features are already present in the oldest known Indo-Aryan language, the language of the Rigveda, which also includes over a dozen words borrowed from Dravidian. The linguistic evidence for Dravidian impact grows increasingly strong as one moves from the Samhitas down through the later Vedic works and into the classical post-Vedic literature. This represents an early religious and cultural fusion or synthesis between ancient Dravidians and Indo-Aryans that went on to influence Indian civilisation.
The Maa Tarini Temple in Ghatgaon is a famous Hindu Goddess temple dedicated to Maa Tarini.
The Bathudi or Bathuri is a community found mainly in the north western part of Odisha. Some Bathudis, however migrated to neighbouring states of Jharkhand and West Bengal. The 2011 census showed their population to be around 220,859. They are classified as a Scheduled Tribe by the Indian government.
The Kora are an ethnic group found in the Indian states of West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand and the Bangladeshi division of Rajshahi. The 2011 census showed their population to be around 260,000. They are classified as a Scheduled Tribe by the Indian government.
The Binjhal is an ethnic group and an offshoot of the Austroasiatic Baiga tribe, are found mainly in many districts of Odisha, Chhatishgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The 2011 census showed their population to be around 137,040. They are classified as a Scheduled Tribe by the Indian government.
The National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of India is an attempt to recognize the diversity of Indian culture embedded in its intangible heritage. It aims to raise awareness about the various intangible cultural heritage elements from different states of India at national and international level and ensure their protection.
The Bhottada is an ethnic group found mainly in many districts of Odisha and Chhattisgarh. The 2011 census showed their population to be around 450,771. They are classified as a Scheduled Tribe by the Indian government.
The Ganda or Gandawa are an indigenous community from the eastern Indian states of Odisha and Chhattisgarh. They live mainly in western Odisha and adjoining parts of Chhattisgarh, especially in Bolangir and Bargarh districts. They are divided into various endogamous divisions such as Odia, Laria, Kandria/Kandharia, Kabria and Saharia Ganda, which are further divided into a number of totemistic exogamous clans like bagh,sika, nag, and podha. They practise adult marriage and are mainly monogamous. Marriages are usually arranged through negotiation, while mutual consent is also respected. junior levirate, junior sororate, remarriage of widows, widowers, and divorcees are permitted. They follow the puberty function and have birth pollution. Pre-delivery and post natal rituals such as chatti, naming ceremony, and tonsure are also performed. They practise both cremation and burial to dispose of their dead. Their traditional occupations includes weavers ,village watchmen and village headmen. They also play drums during special occasions. Their principle deity is Dulha Deo.