Bihan Mela: A seed festival aims to help tribal Kondh farmers in Odisha return to their agricultural traditions

Source: The post is based on the article “Bihan Mela: A seed festival aims to help tribal Kondh farmers in Odisha return to their agricultural traditions” published in Down To Earth on 1st May 2023

What is the News?

The members of the Kondh tribe in Odisha have added one more event to their calendar of festivals called Bihan Mela.

What is Bihan Mela?

Bihan Mela is literally the seed festival celebrated by the Kondh Tribe in Odisha.

The farmers participate in the festival from as many as 40 villages. Preparations for this festival begin as soon as farmers have harvested Kharif crops, which include both hybrid and indigenous varieties of paddy, millets, maize and sorghum.

Women, who are at the helm of this festival, carefully collect seeds of the indigenous varieties and store them in earthen pots. 

Then, on a designated day in December, they decorate the pots with red and white motifs, place them in a bamboo basket and carry it on its head to the village where the fair is being organized. 

Along the way, they are accompanied by men beating drums and other traditional instruments.

What is the Kondh Tribe?

The Khonds are the largest tribal group in the state of Odisha. They are known for their rich cultural heritage, valourous martial traditions, and indigenous values which centre on harmony with nature. 

Khonds speak the Kui language and write it in the Odia script.

The Kandhamal district in Odisha has a fifty-five percent Khond population and is named after the tribe.