#orissa

Odisha, 2023

Caps - Odisha, 2023

Historical Context: The Konds are a tribal group living in the remote hills of Orissa and are primarily dependent upon agriculture for their economic survival. They traditionally practised 'Meriah' or human sacrifice, but during the late 18th century were persuaded by British colonists that their tribal deity the Earth Goddess would accept buffaloes as substitutes for human beings. Approximately a century later, Kond religious beliefs were going through a fundamental shift towards Christianity, and various tribal Kond bronzes including the bull and peacock were discovered to represent the Earth Goddess. The bronze images are made from the lost -wax metal casting process and once used for Kond ritual and ceremony, were classified into four categories: objects associated with human sacrifice, objects to represent Kond lineage groups, objects which formed part of brides' dowries and objects which represented everyday life. These ritual objects were kept on domestic shrines in the homes of the Kutiya Konds.

Orissa, 2023

Mary Binney Wheeler A Jagamahon inside the Raja-Rani Temple complex at Bhubaneswar 1978 Carousel 10, Orissa 1, 1978 South Asia Art Archive Mary Binney Wheeler Image Collection

Odisha, 2023

Dongria Kondh people, hairclip - Chatikona, 2023