Oraon

Oraon

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Oraon

The Oraon or Kurukh tribe (Kurukh: O???ⁿ and Ku?u??), also spelled Uraon, Oran, or Oram, inhabits various states across central and eastern India as well as Bangladesh. Traditionally, Oraons depended on the forest for their ritual and economic livelihood, but in recent times they have become mainly settled agriculturalists. Small numbers of Oraons have immigrated to the northeastern part of India, where they are mainly employed in tea estates. A numbers of educated Oraons have settled down in metros like Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai,Chennai and many other cities of India including Patna, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, Allahabad, and Lucknow. Some have even settled abroad in the US and Europe. During the colonial era, the Tana Bhagats, led by their Tana saint Turia Bhagat protested against the imperialists by no paying the 'chaukidari' tax^[1] while the Bishnu Bhagats under Bhikku Bhagat.

People
Culture
Religion

SARNA-ISM
Animistic Hinduism

See also
References

People

The Kurukh or Oraons are the people best known in many parts of India as Tribal of Chotanagpur. All the Oraons agree, on the basis of folklore and traditional stories, which also supported by the present days traditions of worshipping and socials rituals, that they were for many generations settled down on the Rohatasgarh and adjoining hills areas in the western part of present Bihar state, and that they were driven out from that place by Muhammadans.^[2]

There is no concrete evidence that Oraon had migrated from Konkan or Maharashtra to Chotanagpur region of present Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Orissa.There is not a single folklore or story to support this theory. However, few believe, they might have been migrated from Konkan Region of Maharashtra. As per the folk stories, legends, songs and unwritten account of history of Oraon, they were, for many generations settled down on Rohtasgarh. It is still not clear whether present district of Rohtas of Bihar is the same Rohtasgarh as reffered to in the legends of the Oraon . It is still not clear whether the Mohammedans or Muslim invaders drove them out from the Rohtasgarh. Though folk stories indicate that the invaders were Turk. As per the stories, Turk wanted to capture the Rohtasgarh, but, they were not dare to fight with warriors Kurukh (Oraon). Oraon were superior fighters, therefore, Turk employed one woman to spy on the weakness of Kurukh, the woman passed on the facts to the Turk that on the Day of Karma (after rainy season) and Sarhul festival (spring festival) every kurukh drink Hadia or Handia and would not be able to fight with Turk. When Turk invaded at the Rohtasgarh or The Fort of Rohtas, it was the day of festival and all the male members of community had taken Hadia or rice bear and were not able to fight with the enemies, therefore the womenfolk, wearing male dress, fought with the enemies and drove them out from their fort. The Turk invaded twelve times on the Rohtasgarh on the day of Karma or Sarhul festival and each time they were defeated by the Kurukh womenfolk. To commemorate the victory over Turk by the Kurukh woman, Oraon community still celebrates Jani Shikar (The hunting festival of Oraon women), after every twelve year. However, the Turks were lucky to capture the fort at their thirteenth invades and Kurukh were unseated from the Rohtasgarh. Finally, Oraon were settled down in the Chotanagpur region of present Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Orissa states.

Culture

The Oraon language, Kurukh, belongs to the Dravidian family, and is most closely related to Brahui and Malto (Paharia). Kurukh language is being taught in Ranchi University in Jharkhand. A Kurukh Literary Society have been formed after the first Kurukh Conference held in Ranchi in October, 2006. Many Kurukh language magazines are being published from various parts of India.

A sizable numbers of Oraon have immigrated to the northeastern part of India, where they are mainly employed in tea estates of West Bengal, Assam, and Tripura. A sizable numbers of Oraon have settled down in North Bihar and in Nepal. Many have settled down in the lower part of Bhutan (Samchi district).

Kartik Oraon, who was a highly educated Oraon, an Indian Congress leader and former state communication minister of India, Albert Ekka, the Paramveer Chakra awardees, and the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Ranchi, Cardinal Telesphore Placidus Toppo and Dilip Tirkey, former Captain of the Indian Hockey Team are all Oraons.

The Oraon people have a rich and vast range of folk songs, dances and tales, as well as traditional musical instruments. Both men and women participate in dance, which are performed at social events and festivals. The majority of Oraon write their gotra along with their name. However, those who follow Tana Bhagat principle or Sarna Dharma write the Bhagat in place of their gotra. Many prefer to write Oraon as a second name in place of a gotra. Majority of oraon write their gotra (Kerketta, Xalxo, Xaxa, Xess, Tirkey, Toppo, Tigga, Kujur,Minz, Ekka Barla, Barwa, Indwar, Lakra, Beck, Dhanwar, Baghwar, Kachhap, kindo, Kispota, kanda, Kokro, Gaddi, Khoya, Chermanko,Dadel, Niya, Panna, Bakula, Basa, Bando, Bhagat, Binko, Beck, Munjni, Runda, Linda, Son, Rawna, etc) with their name. However, those who follow Tana Bhagat principle or Sarna Dharma write Bhagat in place of gotra. Many Oraon who have converted to Chritianity have opted new names in place of gotra like some Toppo clan writes their second name (gotra) as Marjee. Some oraon write Mody and Rath in place of oraon traditional gotra systems, specially in Orissa. Oraon prefer to marry a oraon only. However, Christian Oraon often marry other caste and community (Munda, Kharia, Santal)due to influence of Christianity. However, Sarna Oraon prefer marriage with a oraon only with full traditional fashion.

Religion

SARNA-ISM

The Oraons have established several Sarna sects. Some belong to the 'Bishnu Bhagats' and 'Bacchidan Bhagats' of Lord Vishnu while the 'Kamru Bhagats' and 'Tana Bhagats' are devotees of Lord Shiva and Goddess Durga.Oraon believe in the nature and its power. According to Oraon's phylosophy the whole world (Universe) is regulated by a superpower that is 'Dharmesh'in Kurukh. The Dharti (the earth), chando (the moon) and biri (the Sun) are its representative divine power, which are the prime sources of supernatural powers. Though Oraon's names and sects are often similar as those of Caste Hindu of Indian society, their religion is not Hinduism. The religion of Oraon are based on their believe in nature and its super natural power. Whereas the bases of Hinduism are four Vedas and four Vernas. The gotras system of Oraon are based on natural totem systems. Oraon do not follow caste systems. They are alien to the phylosophy and concept of the caste systems, wherein, Brahmins, declared themseselves superior to other castes. However, Oraon, worship Mahadeo Bhagwan (Shiv), Who was primarily a tribal god, and Hanuman. Oraon believe that every things of nature have its own daiety or god. They believe that the birth place of Hanuman is Anjani Village, a small village near Gumla district of present Jharkhand state. Every year Mahabir Jhanda (The flag of Hanuman) is carried out on the occasion of Hanuman birthday by Oraon community.

The Bishnu Bhagat sect was founded by Bhikku Bhagat in the modern era in Bihar.^[3]

The Bacchidan Bhagats (also known as 'Vaishnava Bhagats'^[4] were founded by Balram Bhagat who opposed using the cow or bull to plow the fields as they are holy creatures.^[5]

Kamru Bhagats (Oaron or Munda devotee) originate when Oarins acquire special powers after making a pilgrimage to Kamakhya in Asom to pay respect to the Durga.^[6]

Tana Bhagats were formed by Oaron saints Jatra Bhagat and Turia Bhagat. The Tana Bhagats opposed the taxes imposed on them by the British and they staged a satyagraha (civil disobedience movement) in line of Mahatma Gandhi. Many Tana Bhagats were the followers of Mahatma Gandhi during the freedom struggles and participated in the movement.

Animistic Hinduism

Many of population are Sarna (following Sarna Dharma, in which Dharmesh is the supreme almighty^[7]) . Sarna perform religious rituals under the shade of a sacred grove. Oraon Christians no longer perform most of the traditional rituals; however, Karma, a festival performed during the rainy season, is still performed in church in a modified form. Sarna worship The Sun as Biri and the Moon as Chando. Chando Biri are the words which been used in the Sarna Puja. They called the earth as Dharti Aayo. Oraon worship nature and believe that the great consciousness or The God is nature itself. The Oraon believe in equality and respect individual rights to worship anything or everything or nothing as per individual own perceptions. They also call the spirits of ancestors at their home for living with them, as they believe that they possess kind heart and divine power and do well for their family. They do not believe in hording wealth and believe in simple life to live on. The Pahans and Pujaris who perform Puja and other rituals in the community or village get a piece of land for livelihoods until they shoulder the responsibilities. Once they shed the responsibilities, they forfeit the right to cultivate on the Pahnai Khet. The Oraon like the freedom and liberty in social activities. They never consider any community superior to them or inferior to them. They believe in equality and believe all the community, race or castes or religion are equal and no community or group or caste or religion is superior or inferior to them.