Bhunjia

The Bhunjia are a scheduled tribe found in the state of Odisha in India. Their homeland is the Sunabeda plateau, which is roughly between 21° 25′ north and 21° 30′ north latitude and 82° 35′ east longitude. It was a part of Khariar Zamindari, which formed the eastern and the southeastern region of Raipur district of Chhattisgarh division in Central Province till 1 April 1936, when it was transferred to Odisha on its creation. It is now in Komna block of Nuapada district in Orissa.

Nearly 62 tribal groups are living in Odisha, out of which 10 tribal groups may be identified in Nuapada. The Bhunjias, a primitive tribe of Odisha, are found in Nuapada. Nuapada is considered as the homeland of the Bhunjias. 75 percent of the total population of this tribe lives here. They are living in the uphill range of Sunabeda plateau in Nuapada.

According to the 1981 Census, the population of Bhunjia was 7000 and now it must be around 10000. Accordingly, 75 percent of the population, i.e. about 7500 Bhunjias, are living in Nuapada. According to the tribe, the term "Bhunjia" means "growing out of land" or "origin from the earth".

History and origin

The Bhunjia have racial and cultural affinity with the Gonds of Orissa. There are so many myths among the Bhunjia and the Gond, which speak of strong relationship among the Gonds and the Bhunjias. On setting in the Sunabeda plateau, the Bhunjias did not have marital relations with any tribal group, but in course of time, when the Gonds came into their area, marital relation was established with them. From this the population was divided into two inter-marrying groups, namely Markam and Netarn. Due to this close proximity with the Gonds, Bhunjias have adopted many of the Gods and Goddesses of the Gonds as their own. The two groups worship God and Goddesses common to the locality such as Budharaja and Sunadei.

Subdivisions

Bhunjias are divided into two main sections i.e. Chinda Bhunjia and Chaukhutia Bhunjia. The Chaukhutia Bhunjia are confined exclusively to the hills of the Sunabeda plateau in ecologically secluded areas for which they maintain distance from the outsiders. But the Chinda Bhunjia generally lives in the plains and have close contact with the tribal and non-tribal communities. The religious life of Bhunjia is very simple. They believe in many Gods and Goddesses who are worshipped in different months on different ritual occasions.

Language

They speak Halbi language, a mixture of Odia, Marathi and Chhattisgarhi. However, K.C. Dubey, analyzing the myth and oral tradition of Chhattisgarh, considers the Bhunjia as a branch of Halbas of Baster, who fled from Baster due to their quarrel with Dhakars.

Scheduled Tribes of Odisha

Bhottada Binjhal Bhumij Bhuiya Bhumia Bhunjia Dangaria Gond Kandha Kisan Kolha Koya Munda Oraon Paroja Santal Saura Shabar

Western Odisha

Districts	Balangir Bargarh Boudh Debagarh Jharsuguda Kalahandi Nuapada Sambalpur Subarnapur Sundargarh

Education	BPUT NIT, Rourkela Rajendra College Balangir Sambalpur University VSSUT, Burla WODC Medical Colleges

Notable Persons	Bhagirathi Nepak Bhima Bhoi Bhubaneswar Behera Gangadhar Meher Jitamitra Prasad Singh Deo Nila Madhab Panda Ram Chandra Patra Rindo Majhi Sabyasachi Mohapatra Sadhu Meher Sarat Pujari Veer Surendra Sai

Temples	Kosaleswara temple Lankeswari Temple Samaleswari Temple Sasisena Temple Sureswari Temple The Leaning Temple of Huma

People/ Languages	Bonda Bhunjia Gond Kisan Kuilta Mirdha Kalahandia Odia Sambalpuri Odia

Geographical features	Indravati Mahanadi Mahanadi River Delta Sankh River Western Odisha

Culture, Festival	Dhanu Jatra Ghumura Dance Jiuntia Kalasi Jatra Karma dance Balangir Lok Mahotsav Lanka Podi Nuakhai Puspuni Sitalsasthi Carnival Sulia Jatra

Art and Craft	Pasapali Sari Sambalpuri Saree Sonepuri Sari

Transport/ Communication	NH 6 NH 42 NH 201 NH 217 Hirakud Dam Mahanadi Bridge, Boudh

Entertainmennt	Bhukha Rangabati Sambalpuri Cinema Kosli drama

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