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Known for their vibrant festivals and agricultural traditions, the Parajas speak Parji, a Dravidian language, and inhabit the hill slopes of Koraput.

One of the region’s oldest tribes, rooted in forests, farming, and vibrant oral
traditions. They are skilled basket weavers, soulful dancers, and nature-worshippers who live
in deep harmony with their land and community.

Odisha’s largest tribe, the Kandhas are spread across southern districts, practice
shifting and settled cultivation, and speak Kui, a Dravidian language.

Gadabas believed to be among the earliest settlers of Koraput, speak Gutob
language, and are renowned for their Kerang textiles.

Predominantly cultivators, the Omanatyas speak a form of Odia and follow
customs that blend tribal traditions with regional Hindu practices.

The Bhatras blend ancestral rites with Hindu practices, worship
earth and sun, honour deities, and celebrate agriculture through feasts, music, dance.

In Koraput, dance is memory and celebration, rooted in seasons and community. Birli
sways at harvests, Dhemsa unites tribes, Kaathi Naach strikes with warrior rhythm,
and Rinjodi brings post-harvest joy. Together, they form a living tapestry of land and
identity.
From stringed Deka and Duduk to the Mahuri’s call and Tamak’s beat, indigenous
instruments carry spirit, ritual, and collective memory.

Music and dance

Koraput’s tribes live close to land, their diet shaped by fields, forests, and seasons.
Millets like ragi and foxtail form staples as rotis, porridges, or brews, while red rice,
pulses, and garden vegetables add variety. Forests yield tubers, greens, fruits, and
honey; streams and livestock provide protein. Cooking is simple—boiled, steamed,
or roasted with little spice. Dishes such as Mandia Roti, Handia, and Saggus
embody resilience, seasonality, and deep ties to nature.

Food and Festivals

Koraput’s tribal homes reflect harmony with land and community. Built of mud, bamboo,
wood, and thatch, they are climate-resilient and arranged around courtyards for rituals and
gatherings. Roofs slope to meet the monsoon, often with bamboo or terracotta tiles. Each
tribe adds its touch—Gadaba with elongated or circular houses and carved posts, Paraja and
Kandha with compact layouts and verandas, Durua with log-fenced yards. Beyond shelter,
these homes embody identity, sustainability, and indigenous design.

Architecture

A widespread, sustainable craft often practised by women.

Bamboo & Grass Craft

A rare bark-fibre textile, once a marker of Gadaba identity, now preserved by a few artisans.

Kerang Weaving

A 500-year-old tradition of the Mirgan community, known for natural dyes and tribal motifs, holding a GI tag.

Kotpad Weaving

Traditional clay work used for rituals, daily life, and folk art.

Terracotta & Pottery

Functional and decorative wooden objects crafted in Girla village for over two decades.

Wood Craft

Jemamani Panika is an eminent Kotpad weaver who won
National award in 2009 for her ethnic handloom products. She is deeply involved in
the dyeing process of Kotpad textiles, made from plants and trees. Inspired by
nature, she weaves unique handwoven cotton sarees, shawls, and towels with tribal
motifs, animals, and floral designs, all dyed with natural colors from plants and trees.

Jemamani Panika

Kumar Jani, a young talented musician and composer from
Dasmantpur, Koraput, is known for his mastery of the Dudunga and leadership in
Paraja folk music and dance. Through his performances, he preserves tribal heritage
while addressing social issues. He has showcased Paraja culture across Odisha and
major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.

Kumar Jani

Debi Durua is a young talented artist among the Durua group residing
in Kenduguda village of Kundra, koraput. He has led the group in various festivals in
Kolkata, Delhi.