Janjatiya (tribal) Heritage in Eastern Ghats

The Eastern Ghats are among Bharat’s most vital yet vulnerable ecological landscapes. Stretching across Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, these hill ranges are geological formations with living ecosystems that sustain rivers, biodiversity, agriculture, and communities across the region.

Dr. Siva Rama Krishna, Director, Sakti NGO, in his book ‘Yatra: Celebrating Tribal Heritage in Eastern Ghats,’ emphasises how the survival of the plains is intrinsically tied to the health of these hills and highlights the remarkable role of tribal communities in conserving and protecting them.

Ecological and Cultural Importance

From ancient times, the Eastern Ghats hold sacred significance. Among the seven revered Kula Parvatas, two—Mahendragiri and Malaya—are located here. These hills are spiritual landmarks and ecological lifelines. They are catchment zones for major rivers like the Godavari, Vamshadhara, and Nagavali, sustaining agriculture in the fertile coastal plains.

The Ghats host three broad types of forests: Karadavi (thick forests) in the north, Chittadavi (dry deciduous forests) in the south, and Madaadavi (mangroves) along the coast. Each plays a distinct ecological role—providing habitats for wildlife, grasing grounds, protection against cyclones, and resources for human survival. For centuries, these forests have functioned as natural carbon sinks, biodiversity reserves, and climate regulators.

But their importance is more than environmental—the Ghats are cultural landscapes dotted with sacred peaks, pilgrim centers, and oral traditions linking janjatis, deities, and natural resources. From Sapta Matrukas in Vishakha Manyam to Narasimha worship in Erramala, the Eastern Ghats embody a living dialogue between ecology and spirituality.

The most compelling aspect of the Eastern Ghats’ story is the role of its janjati inhabitants. More than sixty janjatis, including Kondhs, Savaras, Koyas, and others, have lived here for centuries, evolving a unique relationship with land, forests, and rivers.

Custodians of Biodiversity

Janjatis are recognised globally for their role in conserving crop diversity. The Koraput–Jeypore region, home to the Paraja and Kondh tribes, has been acknowledged by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as one of the world’s agricultural biodiversity hotspots. Here, they have developed and preserved numerous varieties of millet and paddy, adapting seeds to microclimates long before scientific agriculture recognised their value.

Ecological Knowledge Systems

The janjati knowledge is vast and focused on understanding nature and living within it. Dr. Sivaramakrishna’s extensive work on encoding traditional knowledge in seasonal calendars, oral traditions, and folk classifications of flora and fauna is remarkable. For instance, the Kondareddis identify agricultural cycles through the arrival of the yellow-throated hill sparrow. The month of May is named after the mango fruit, while February is linked with the blooming of the local coral tree (Baddam). Such eco-cultural markers serve as indigenous climate indicators, guiding sustainable farming practices.

Janjati forest classifications are equally insightful. Unlike scientific forestry that names forests by dominant species, janjati sayings classify them by ecological warnings: “Pululu doorani pullatadavulu” (forests so thick even tigers hesitate to enter) or “Kaakulu doorani kaaradavi” (forests where even crows won’t go). These phrases act as living ecological guides, shaping community behaviour.

Sacred Ecology

Janjati rituals further embed conservation into cultural life. Before tapping juice from the solap tree, villagers worship water goddesses (Jalakanyas). Wildlife, plants, and rivers are treated as divine manifestations, ensuring resource use is accompanied by reverence and restraint.

Resistance and Protection

Conservation for janjatis was not only cultural but also political. Colonial interventions that alienated land and forest rights were met with revolts, locally called fituris. The Rampa rebellion in the Godavari valley and the struggles in Golugonda culminated in the legendary leadership of Alluri Sitarama Raju. These movements were a defense of ecological autonomy against exploitative systems.

An interesting initiative was taken by Dr. Sivaramakrishna in January 2024 by conducting a cultural march from Jeypore in Odisha and culminating at Andhra University in Visakhapatnam. It brought to light the heritage of the tribes, their ecological wisdom, and the urgent need to integrate these systems into contemporary governance.

By retracing sacred landscapes, folk narratives, and ecological practices, the Yatra (march) celebrates janjati identity while also challenging current policy lapses. It emphasises that modern laws like the Forest Conservation Act (1980) or even the Forest Rights Act (2006) remain incomplete unless janjatis are treated as equal partners in decision-making.

The Yatra thus symbolises a reconnection between hills and plains, between oral traditions and policy frameworks, and between tribal custodianship and national ecological priorities. There is a serious requirement for ethnographic documentation, which includes recording oral traditions, developing seasonal calendars, and creating village monographs. This will preserve intangible heritage that is otherwise disappearing.

(The writer is a CreativeEconomy Expert)