The Central Institute of Indian Languages was set up on the 17th July, 1969 with a view to assisting and co-ordinating the development of Indian languages. The Institute was charged with the responsibility of serving as a nucleus to bring together all the research and literacy output from various linguistic streams to a common head narrowing the gap between basic research and developmental research in the fields of languages and linguistics in India.
The Institute and its four Regional Language Centres are thus engaged in research and teaching which lead to the publication of a wide-ranging variety of materials. Preparation of materials designed for teaching/learning at different levels and suited to specific needs is one of the major areas of interest of the Institute. Basic research relating to the acquisition of language and study of language in its manifold psycho-social relations constitute another broad range of its interest. The publication will include materials produced by the members of the staff of the Central Institute of Indian Languages and its Regional Language Centres and associated scholars from universities and institutions, both Indian and foreign.
The Central Institute of Indian Languages has initiated the Folk Literature series in non-literate languages in general and tribal languages in particular presenting the folk literature of every such language group in the sub-continent. This is undertaken with the view that this series will be of interest to both scholars who are interested in folk literature and practical learners of languages who wish to make a beginning in tribal language studies.
If these materials also help to solve problems in the State and help in understanding the people speaking the language our efforts will have been amply rewarded.
The Khonds are found in the Koraput district of Orissa. They are also found in the neighbouring districts of Kalahandi, Ganjam, Phulbani, Bolangir and Dhenkanal. Linguistically, the Khonds are divided into two groups, the Kuvi Khonds and the Kui-Khonds. The Kuttia-Khonds found in the Muniguda area and in the Phulbani and Bolangir districts area said to speak the Kui dialect while the Khonds found in the Nowrangpur, Narayanpatna, Kashipur, Kalyansinghpur, Rayagada, Laxmipur sub-divisions speak Kuvi. But the Khonds themselves say that they speak only one language. Although they are aware of some lexical differences, what are called Kui and Kuvi by the linguists are the same language to them. This is reflected in the Census return also. Kuvi was not returned as mothertongue in the 1961 Census. "Apparently Kuvi speaking Khonds prefer to return their tribal name only as mothertongue" (R.C. Nigam, Language Handbook on Mothertongues in Census: Census Centenary Monograph No.10, Language Division, Office of the Registrar General of India, 1977, p.134). The number of speakers reported for Khond in 1961 Census is 1,68,027 of which 1,44,922 live in Orissa, 22, 730 in Andhra Pradesh and the rest elsewhere.
However, on the basis of linguistic differences the Khonds may be divided into Kuvi Khonds and Kui Khonds. The Kuvi-Khonds are divided into two, viz., the 'Dongria Khonds' and the 'Tikria' or 'Podaria Khonds'. The Dongria Khonds are found way up in the hills while the Tikri or Podaria Khonds are found on the plateaus. The Kui Khonds are called the Kuttia Khonds. The Khonds who live in the plains are relatively better off economically than the Khonds who live in the hills. Because of their poverty the Dongria Khonds who live in the hill areas of Lakshmipur and Nowrangpur sub-divisions eat anything which is not poisonous including non-poisonous snakes, frogs, rats, worms, etc.
Khond villages are usually found resting on the hill side. They are so well camouflaged that sometimes one can walk in circles around the village and not find it. It should be mentioned here that the Koraput district is rather thickly forested and no part of it can actually be called plains. It is a series of rises and slopes forested by giant sal and teak trees.
A typical Khond village consists of a central street with houses adjoining each other on either side and facing the street. A village may consist of only two houses or it may have upto one hundred and sixty houses. At the end of, or sometimes, at the centre of the road one finds fixed what appears to be two wooden pegs or stones (one a bit shorter than the other). This is the village deity. At regular intervals along the street and along its full length one finds wooden pegs used to tie goats, cattle, buffaloes, etc. Another typical feature is stone slabs of varying sizes for people to take their bath. These stones are different from the flat stones meant as seats for the village elders to conduct the village councils. There are usually some six though they may vary in number. The cleanliness of the village seems to be proportionate to the prosperity of the Khonds. The Kuttia and Tikri Khond villages in the plains are cleaner than the Dongria Khond villages in the hills.
Every house consists of a verandah in front with a big room at the back-the bed room which may also be used as the store room and another room behind the bed room used as the kitchen. In the kitchen is found a fireplace with a raised platform to keep vessels, etc. Sometimes a part of the bed room serves as the kitchen. In the main room is also found a wooden sleeper with two holes for pounding grain. Behind the house is a backyard or 'okkapara' which is enclosed by a palisade. Another typical feature is the watering trough hewn from tree trunks for cattle, dogs and pigs.
The household equipments of the Khonds are very simple. They are made mostly from gourd, wood, bamboo and stone and a few articles are made from iron.
The gourd vessels are made from a bitter gourd very much like the bottle gourd. A gourd of the requisite size is plucked and allowed to dry. A portion of the neck is cut off and the seeds are removed by scraping with a piece of wood or iron. Every house has a set of gourd spoons or goglets. Also common to every house are baskets of different shapes and sizes, knives of different shapes and sizes, axes of different shapes and sizes and wooden stickes of different shapes and sizes used for pounding grain. What is interesting is that every single item has a name to denote it.
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