Who doesn’t like living in the lap of nature, surrounded by the mystic charm of soil & trees with the lovely aroma of the wild flowers amidst the beautiful society of tribals? Such is in one of our beneficiary in Jalda district of Orissa.
The Jalda district houses the Oram Tribal Community who are advent nature worshippers and follow Adi Dharam. Their respect for nature, it’s resources and the knowledge about wildlife and its ingredients is incredible.
Their language Sadri originating from the early Dravidian, is mellifluous and fluid like a bird which one can experience with their folk song and folklore. The serene experience of immersing oneself in their Prarthana Ghar is one of a kind where tribal women sing in their ode to nature and their love for the community. It is of immense pride how the community have came together to publish their linguistic bible in order to protect the language and culture.
The fascinating fact being that they do not believe in caste! Each person represents a particular animal since birth and that is their only distinction. Their association with nature? Incredible.
Their beautiful mud houses provide an exemplary source of peace from the irradiating calmness from the soil, simplicity of their rooms. “Less is more!”, they follow it to their core.
The beautiful kids from these houses are the bright future of our community, they go to well established convent schools and are building themselves up for the future. This quiet little village is igniting the spark for the next generation.
How lovely is their land and how fresh are their resources! A morning stall across the field takes us to the sun kissed paddy fields and reminisce the rich appetite of tribal hospitality. The welcoming of their guest is once in a lifetime experience to cherish. For them “Atithi Devo Bhava’’ is taken so seriously that anyone from outside will be put to shame by the amount of love they show from their first day of acquaintance.
Their land is pure and less of pollution, so different from the cacophony of the normal city life.
Here they do not buy their ingredients, they grow it themselves. They don't go to the chemist shop for everything , they take advice from the nature.
Such unique is our association with the precious tribal community of Jalda. As for their cuisine, it’s a story for another day.
More stories yet to come.
With love from Punarnawa!