Older Girls Prefer To Marry 10 Years Younger Boys Among Odisha’s Bonda Tribe, Says Expert

Koraput: Female population is more than the male population among the Bonda tribes in Odisha, said Bishnu Charan Barik, former vice-chancellor of Sambalpur University and well-known sociologist.

Delivering a lecture on ‘Bonda Life: Outsider-Insider Perspectives’ at the first University Special Lectures Series organised by the Central University of Odisha in Koraput on Wednesday, Barik said, “There are more than 1000 types of tribes all over the world. There are many types of tribes in India itself, whose culture is different from each other. Odisha is a non-Hindi speaking region and many tribes live here; among them, the Bonda tribe has an important place”.

Narrating his recent visit to Bonda village near Bonda Hill, he said, “Female population is more than the male among the Bonda tribes. After 75 years of Independence, the culture, food habits, lifestyle, and clothing of the Bonda tribes are really amazing.”

On the characteristics of the Bonda tribe, he said they consider Mudlipada, located on Bonda Hills, as their capital.  “The literacy rate among them is very low. While agriculture is their sole source of livelihood, they are very frugal. By nature, they are very aggressive and don’t leave the molester. They believe in collective life and their behavior is rough and tough. Older girls prefer to marry boys who are 10 years younger than them. They are the nurturers of the old tradition and do not believe in modernity,” said Barik.

The university’s vice-chancellor Prof Chakradhar Tripathi spoke on tradition and culture of the Bonda tribe and their contribution towards nature. “Bonda tribe is a worshiper of nature. They think nature to be supreme and also consider it their sacred and pious duty to protect nature”.

PC Patnaik, professor of Rajiv Gandhi Chair for Tribal Studies also spoke. Students, research scholars and faculty of all departments attended the programme.