SOCIO CULTURAL PROFILE D0NGRIA KANDHA TRIBE OF ODISHA

The Dongria Kandha, a section of the Kandha tribe of Odisha, live on the top of the Niyamgiris, a rugged mass of hill ranges situated on the borders of Rayagada and Gunupur sub-division of Rayagada district. In the case of the Dongria village the traditional panchayat is still effective and runs along democratic principles as before and serves the people well in the matters of maintaining social control and enforcing social sanctions. Every Dongria village had and still continues to have its own traditional council as part of the political organization. Considering the levels of economic development the Kandha tribe of Odisha are divided into several sub-sections such as- Kutia Kandha, Dongria Kandha, Jharia Kandha and Desia Kandha. Dongria section of the Kandha community. They are found in the Niyamgiri hill ranges, which comprise 3 Community Development blocks namely: Bissamcuttack, Kalyansingpur, Muniguda of Rayagada and Gunupur sub-division of Rayagada district.