The Dombo: A Sociological Investigation of Dalits in Odisha

Abstract

The Dalit people in Odisha have been socio-economically deprived and antagonized with a social discrimination. In Odisha, the number of Dalits is 93, and out of it, in numerically Pana, Dewar and Dombo are the most populous and remain in first, second and third respectively. The Dombo people residing in South Odisha, especially in the unified Koraput and Kalahandi district. They have been known as drum beaters, weavers, performers and gramarakhi. Traditionally, the Dombo people live in the village as caretakers (gramarakhi or choukidar). In each village, there were a choukidar or gramarakhi, and their task was to report the instances of downfall, labour, self-destruction, murder and other lawful issues occurring in the village at the closest police headquarters and convey the news about birth, death of upper caste to their family members, discarded corpses of cows and attend the dignitaries and visiting officials. They used to declare any news concerning people in general by the beat of drums and help the Gauntia or village headmen on the issue of income assortment and everyday organization of the village issues. The gramarakhi or choukidar was a notable person at the village level in the primitive organization. The reason for this article is to study and preserve, promote and protect the economy, political and social existence of the Dombo people in South Odisha.