Economic and Political Life of Lodha People of the Mayurbhanj District of Odisha in East India: A Psychosocial Analysis

Abstract

The economic system and political life of the Lodhas of Mayurbhanj are the important aspects of the tribal history of Odisha in Eastern India. The Lodha tribe of Mayurbhanj is recognized as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups of the state of Odisha. Lodhas are economically backward and most of them are at the pre-agricultural stage of the economy. The Lodhas are the low level of technology associated with pre-agricultural stage (hunting food gathering and shifting cultivation) of economy. The economic life of Lodha are linked with their forest economy, agricultural cycle and other sources as labourers in various developmental works / schemes of the Government of India. The income of Lodhas is mostly spent in the purchase of daily food items, dress, ornaments and house maintenances. Some of their expenditure is spent for the purchase of rice beer (handia). They had been doing various kinds of agricultural activities, only in transplantation of rice seedlings and in harvesting. Due to improvement of the communication facilities, many changes seem to have been taken place in the economic and political life of the Lodhas of Mayurbhanj. The Lodha villages are strongly organized on the basis of tradition. The traditional administrative system of the Lodha villages of Mayurbhanj district is an interesting study for the scholars of tribal history. The aim of this article is to focus on the economic system and political organization of the Lodha tribe/society of Mayurbhanj district of Odisha in Eastern India. Methodologically, both the primary and secondary sources have been used in writing of the present article.