Community Justice & Marriage

My name is Sumitra Pradhan, my village is Pikarodi, block is Tikabali, district is Kandhamal. In the old days, if there was any convenience or problem in the village, five people would sit and resolve the matter. The elder, whoever was there, whatever he said, would be decided accordingly. But nowadays, all people are going to courts. That's why we want to return to the previous situation.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Banita Pradhan, my village is Brenguda, the panchayat is Bodimunda, and the people are Tikabali. In the past, if there were quarrels, five people would sit together in the village and resolve them. Nowadays, everyone goes to court. That's why we want to return to our previous state.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Namita Pradhan, and my village is Breka. The block is Tikabali, GP is Pikarodi, and the district is Kandhamal. In our village, in the olden days, if there was any dispute or problem, the villagers would resolve it by holding a meeting in the village itself. Now, in today's era, everyone runs to the court. And we wish to return to those golden days.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Tuma Pradhan, my village is Pikorodi, my GP is Pikorodi, my block is Tikabali. In the old days, if there was any problem or quarrel in our village, five people would sit together, talk, and resolve all issues. But today, everyone goes to court. That's why we want to bring back the old days, the old way of solving problems.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Latika Digal. My village is Pangabitungia. And our Panchayat is P. Karadi. The block is Tikabali. And the district is Kandhamal. In the olden days, if we were getting married, we would make the girl marry by five people sitting and giving sacred water (manda pani). Now, everyone knows that dowry is taken, and they are doing that too. That's why we want to return to the previous state.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

Mauna Hoti Sarojini Pradhan is from Maoga, Breguda Block, Chitika Panchayat. In the past, when our marriages took place, they used to do it by giving 'Munda Pani' (a traditional ritual). In today's time, everyone is demanding dowry. That's why we want to return to the previous state.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Pramod Kuldana. And the village is Pikarodi, block is Tikabali, district is Kandhamal. In our village, in ancient times, if there was just one feast, people would give water and then the Panchabhadra would sit and perform marriages. But now, at this time, feasts are happy, dowry is happy. And marriages are happening. That's why we will return to the previous state.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Shubhakanti Pradhan, my home is Digapahandi, Berhampur. And if our marriages happened in ancient times, then they used to get married by bringing alcohol. In today's time, people are looking for dowry, that's why we want to return to the old situation.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

Name Nirupama Nayak, Village Panganaju, Panchayat Gumamaha, Block Raikia. May the traditions and customs of the village, as they were before, be revived.

— Santilata Nayak · Kandhamal, Odisha

What our ancestors wanted before, what was being resolved by sitting in the Panchabhadra, now we want to resolve it in the same traditional way, without going to court, just as our ancestors resolved it through the Panchabhadra.

— Sudhakar Pradhan · Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Surendra Podra. I am from Gurumundi village, Katinga Gram Panchayat, Dani block, Kandhamal district. I want to highlight the environmental degradation of today. Our ancestors used to live in the forest, depending on roots, greens, and various other things. But... I express my desire to bring back that kind of environment.

— SUBASH SABHASUNDAR · Gajapati, Odisha

My name is Chandrika Pradhan. My village is Panga Bidungia, block is Tikabali. In the olden days, we used to keep seeds in pots. We kept them because, in the olden days, we didn't use fertilizer. Nowadays, we are using fertilizer. That's why we can't keep our seeds for many days. We want to return to the previous state.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Sabjan Mitra Pradhan. My village is Dibaoala. My Panchayat is Godimunda, and my Block is Tikabali. In the olden days, we used to cultivate and live off queer, died, and mandia (millet). In today's time, we don't get those seeds. That's why we can't even cultivate. If we get seeds from the old times, we can cultivate and live.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

My village is Madipanka Panchayat, Bamua Block, Daringbadi, Kandhamal District. I feel that the traditional farming methods our ancestors used, without using fertilizers, yielded more crops. Now, even with fertilizers, the yield... I am expressing my wish.

— SUBASH SABHASUNDAR · Gajapati, Odisha

My name is Rinki Ma Kahara, my village is Rasagoda, GP is Pipili, Block Tikabali. In my olden times, the mothers of the cowherds used to sit and resolve any problems, but now the children... the children are moving towards modernity, that's why they are abandoning the old ways.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Sukanti Pradhan. My village is Lambakupa. GP is Pikorodi. Block is Tikabali. District is Kandhamal. In our rural areas, the main food items that were cultivated, such as ragi, millet, maize, black gram, and green gram, did not require fertilizer. That's why our ancestors lived for a long time. Currently, because we are not cultivating our traditional food seeds, many kinds of diseases are occurring. So, if we can get traditional food and seeds from the government, then we can return to our previous state.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Samarasila Pradhan, Gummamaha Raikia. I want to uphold the tradition of our village.

— Santilata Nayak · Raikia, Kandhamal, Odisha

I am Mrs. Aparna Pradhan from Lamungia village, Gram Panchayat Manikeshwar, Kandhamal district. I want to bring back the ancient crops/millets Kujuri, Mandia, and Kangu.

— Sudhakar Pradhan · Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Mutiy Pradhan. My Gram Panchayat is Pikorodi. My Block is Tikabali. My District is Kandhamal. Our mothers used to store seeds in the olden days. They would keep seeds in pots near the fire in 'Putra Jakore'. Nothing would happen to them. Today, in today's date, farming is done with fertilizer and pesticides, which is why this year, the seeds cannot last even for a year. That's why we want to live like before.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

If our future is not good, then start now. My name is Nityananda Pradhan from Dolabadi. Earlier, old people used to worship the earth (Dharani Puja) and mountains (Parvat Puja). Why are we leaving that and doing other eras? That's why we definitely need that. Mountain worship, earth worship, crop worship, we need all of that. And the second is Jidi Kya Gram Panchayat, Dolabadi, its Rangad police station, Kandhamal, Dolabadi, that is what I definitely need.

— Dillip pujari · Phiringia, Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Nabeshwar Mallick, from Salaguda block village. It would be good if traditional millets like Kangu, Kuheri, Mandia, and Jona, which were grown before, are brought back now.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

If I want to bring something back from my ancestors, it would be the era when the community used to sit together as a whole group and make decisions.

— sophia akoijam · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha

My name is Ananta Mallick, from Salaguda Block village. It would be good if Kangu, Kuheri, Mandia, and Jana, which were available before, are brought back now.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

Name Ashok Behera, village Panganaju. I want to live in the old village.

— Santilata Nayak · Kandhamal, Odisha

In our village, there is a problem with the community hall. If a community hall is built, then according to our social traditions, we can hold meetings and make decisions.

— Amar Lal Dhurwey

My name is Debanti Pradhan from Gumamaha Raikia. I want to preserve the village's tradition.

— Santilata Nayak · Raikia, Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Isaac Sabar, village Zero Number, Panchayat Mandi Mandi, District Kandhamal. I feel that in the current situation, people used to use traditional forest products, which are forest-derived goods, in large quantities to sustain their livelihoods, but due to the lack of forests, they have disappeared. We want to restore the forests so that we can enjoy those forest products just like our ancestors used to.

— SUBASH SABHASUNDAR · Gajapati, Odisha

My name is Nirupama Nayak from Panganaju village, Raikia block. Let the rules that were to be decided for the village be implemented.

— Santilata Nayak · Raikia, Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Pravabati, my village is Guruja Raike. I am going to continue the tradition that was there.

— Santilata Nayak · Raikia, Kandhamal, Odisha

In our community, marriages were traditionally performed, and which leader now wants to bring that back?

— Anjana Khadia · Sundargarh, Odisha

Amarnath Dash Kulumeda. The district is Koraput, the block is Nandapur. I want to bring forward the things our ancestors cherished, and also the language of our ancestors.

— KRUSHNA KHILLO

My name is Kal Mallick, from Salaguda block village. It would be good if the Kangu, Kuheri, Mandia, and Jana (crops) that were cultivated previously are brought back now.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Dineshwar Mallick, from Salaguda Block. It would be good if the Kangu, Kuheri, Mandia, and Jana (traditional crops) from earlier times are brought back now.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Saraj Mallik, from Keramaha block. It would be good if Kangu, Kuheri, millet, and jowar, which were previously cultivated, are brought back now.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Raind Mallick from Salaguda block village. It would be good if Kangu, Kuheri, Mandia, and Jana, which were cultivated previously, are brought back now.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Sabita Pradhan. My village is Ghosaguda. The block is Tikabali. In earlier times, we used to cultivate in the forests. And we used to cultivate millets, corn, black gram, and horse gram. We used to cultivate all those. Fertilizer was not even needed there. And even if we want to cultivate now, we are not getting seeds. That's why we are requesting the government that if they provide us with seeds, we will be able to cultivate and sustain ourselves.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

Kapila Pradhan village. Dadi Gram Panchayat, Bondaguda block, Nuagaon, Kandhamal District. We want to preserve the traditional Dhangudi dance, Changu Baja, Pudapuja Kedu, Dharani Penu, and Maranga.

— Sidheswar Nayak · Phiringia, Kandhamal, Odisha

Pradeep Malik is speaking. And my Salaguda Panchayat. And the programs we had in the past, meaning, in the past people used to eat ragi, ragi kudi and this wild yam, they used to eat all these. We are trying to bring this cultivation back again. It would be good if this came back.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha

Name: Asamati Pradhan. Village: Rajaghara. Gram Panchayat: Kanjamendi. Block: K. Nuagaon. District: Kandhamal. We uphold traditional dances like Changubaja, Khanjuni dance, and past games like Puchi, Kabaddi, Bahuchhuri, which today's new generation has forgotten. It is our responsibility to protect and preserve them.

— Sidheswar Nayak · Phiringia, Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Bishi Mallick, from Salaguda village block. It would be good if Kangu, Kuheri, Mandia, and Jana (crops that were cultivated previously) are brought back now.

— Manu Digal · Kandhamal, Odisha