The Lanjia Saora Tribe, also known as the Sabara, are an ethnic Munda group native to the hills of Odisha, India. They have a tradition of slash and burn agriculture and live in extended families. While originally from the Mahendragiri Hills, some have migrated to other parts of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. They integrate music and dance into daily life and worship many deities and ancestral spirits as part of their religion. Men typically wear a langot with an extended tail-like feature while women wear a sari-like lower garment and upper cloth. Major festivals include Kumara, celebrated for the dead with special dances and instruments. Marriages involve a playful ritual where

1. Lanjia Saora Tribe(Sabara)
Aamlan Saswat Mishra
2017BARC013

2. Who are they?
• The Sora (alternative names and spellings include
Saora, Saura, Savara and Sabara) are a Munda ethnic
group
• They are of medium or short stature.
• Instead of clan organization they have their extended
families called Birinda, which consists of descendants
from a common ancestors of four to five generation.
• The Soras' religion is very elaborate and deep rooted.
They are polytheist and believe in large number of
deities and ancestral spirits.
• Dance and music constitute part and parcel of their
rich aesthetic life.

3. Where do they live?
• They are concentrated in parts of
Gunupur adjoining to the blocks of
Gumma, Serango of Gajapati
district of Odisha, India.
• The tribes were native to the
Mahendragiri Hills of Odisha
• Over flow of time they have started
to migrate to Southern Odisha &
north coastal Andhra Pradesh. They
are also found in the hills of
Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and
Maharashtra.

4. A tough life or a fun one?
• The primary activities in ancient times for this tribe
included Hunting and Podu Chasa (A form of Slash and
burn cultivation)
• The tribe members live a gosti life (a highly dependent
social life)
• The people remain cheerful and have integrated
music to everyday life and activities. They sing songs
and play instruments while cooking, processing food
and even farming. They play instruments like the
‘kendera’
• The basic food of the Lanjia people includes rice with
smashed green chili and salt. Special items include
sour cooked spinach and steamed herbs and leaves.

5. Clothes are very special
• The male and female members of the tribe smoke
‘Edangu’ frequently
• The female members often tattoo ‘Langton’ on their
foreheads, wear taitalyu in ears and wear khagla and
jatong in their necks.
• The longer the ear holes in the female members, the
more beautiful they are considered. They wear
Katumbi, a form of self made clothes.
• The common clothes are
• Women: Kharofa- in lower body and Dalopkob- in upper
body
• Men: Langot with ‘Oliyakap’ – an extension that resembles
a tail (probable reason for the name of the tribe

6. The one above all and following him
• The Soras are highly religious with each and every
natural phenomenon attributed to the works of
some Gods, deities or spirits of traditional belief
• They believe that spirits guide their destiny,
worshiping mainly the deities Sandhidemudu and
Jakaradevatha.
• Elora is worshipped as their main God. They also
worship the sun, moon and an array of different
Gods which include Vahans and even equipments.
• Kumara festival is the main festival. It is celebrated
for the dead. A special dance named ‘Kariya’ is
performed and instruments like Kerin, suakama
and kendera are played.

7. Marriage, children and health traditions
• The marriage is not pompous but interestingly story like.
• The groom arrives with family members and drags the bride to be out of the
house while the bride’s brothers resist. The father of the bride askes if the bride
wishes to go with the groom. Upon bride’s consent, the brothers tend to convince
the bride but to no use.
• The people then celebrate and dance. They consume Handia( a form of
fermented drink made from rice and eat buffalo meat. ‘Swong’ is then celebrated
with a doll named ‘Nimary’ which acts as a gradian of the family.
• The Kudanal/kudambai is the head priestess of the community. She acts as a link
between human and spiritual realm. She names new born children by figuring out
the relatin with ancestors.
• The head priest (udaan) also plays the hole of the head ‘Vaidya’ and heals people
and diseases.

8. Housing and architecture

10. Construction materials
• Clay
• Water
• Cow-dung
• Bamboo, logs for structure framework
• Straw/water reed
• Chalk (for decoration)
• Wood for doors and frames
• Clay (tiles on roof in modern times)

11. Approximate plan of house

12. Thank You

13. Contemporary tales
According to the legend, the image of Neelamadhaba was made of Neelakanta mani
(emerald). However, the present image of the deity is made of neem wood. Legend further
says that Lord Jagannath was originally worshiped by a Savara raja (an aboriginal tribal
chieftain)named Viswabasu. Having heard about the glory of the deity, Raja Indradyumna
sent a Brahmin priest called Vidyapati to discover the exact location of the deity who was
then secretly worshipped by Viswabasu inside the cave of a dense forest. Vidyapati tried
his best, but could not locate the place of worship. Finally, he could manage to marry Lalita,
the daughter of Viswabasu. At repeated request of Lalita, Viswabasu took his son-in-law
blind-folded to a cave wherein Lord Neelamadhaba was being worshipped. Vidyapati was a
very intelligent man. He dropped mustard seeds on the ground on his way. After a few
days, the seeds germinated which helped Vidyapati to locate the cave wherein the deity
was being worshiped hiddenly.On hearing from Vidyapati subsequently, Raja Indradyumna
immediately rushed to Odra desa (Odisha) to have a darshan of the deity.The king was
disappointed at the sudden disappearance of the deity. The deity was hidden in sand. Raja
Indradyumna was determined not to return without having a darshan of the deity and
observed fast onto death at Neelagiri. The deity was pleased with the king. Thereafter, the
king performed a horse sacrifice and built a magnificent temple for the deity.