In photos: How festivals and rituals help Koraput’s Adivasis keep local seed varieties alive
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The first pot of rice newly harvested during October-November is never eaten straight away in Koraput. Before families gather around the meal, a portion is offered to the village deity. Around five to six months later, the next farming season begins with prayers for rain, while wooden ploughs, cattle and seeds are honoured in their own ceremonies.
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In Koraput, in the Eastern Ghats of southern Odisha, every stage of cultivation has its own festival. The region is home to the Paroja, Gadaba, Kondh, Bhumia, Bhottada, Durua and Saura Adivasi communities. Here, agriculture is intrinsically linked with culinary heritage and faith.
Koraput is among India’s richest centres of crop diversity. It harbours hundreds of locally adapted crop varieties, including indigenous paddy, finger millet, little millet, pigeon pea, black gram, horse gram, niger, sesame, traditional vegetables, tubers and wild edible plants.
Unlike monoculture farming, fields here are planted with a diverse mix of crops that support one another, reduce farming risks and provide food throughout the year. Farmers cultivate varieties of rice that mature at different times, ensuring that all crops do not ripen at once. This helps spread the risk when rainfall is delayed or uneven.
Many indigenous varieties are valued not only for their taste and cultural...