Kolam Tribes

In the Indian states like Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, the Kolam is classified as a Scheduled Tribe. They are among three tribal groups falling to the sub-category, a particularly vulnerable particular tribe, a Particularly vulnerable tribal group, being the others Katkari & Madia Gond.

People dwell in hamlets named pods there in the Maharashtra regions of Yavatmal, Chandrapur, and Nanded. They communicate in Kolami, which would be a Dravidian language. They live in a farming community. These are also one of the largest tribes in India and the oldest tribes of India.

They have such a high percentage of NESTROFT (Naked eye single tube red cell osmotic fragility test) positive results, putting them susceptible to Thalassaemia.

An Overview of kolam Tribes

• Within the Indian states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh, the Kolam is classified as a Scheduled Tribe.
• Agriculture is practised, and the community is patriarchal.
• Both Maharashtra and Andhra, Kolam tribespeople are classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).
• Kolami is the language of the Kolam tribes.

There in the twelfth century, the Gond tribe viewed the Kolam tribes as their priests, according to the tribe group’s ancient past. Outside operating as agents of a larger monetary economy infiltrated tribal lands during the first decades of the 20th century and is one of the oldest tribes in India compared to all other tribes.

The government with its Societal organisation followed the rules and practices of any other tribal group on the Indian subcontinent. Some of them claim them to be Pandavas’ ancestors from the Mahabharata. This tribe is one of the largest tribes in india.

Kolam Tribe, Maharashtra

Kolam tribe of Madhya Pradesh go by various names, including Kolamboli, Kulme, and Konami. The lowlands and mountainous areas are where this clan is still most concentrated. Several tribal groups are defined as tribal communities, and they can be found in areas of Maharashtra & Andhra Pradesh in addition to Madhya Pradesh. Chal Deve, Pach Deve, Saha Deve, and Sat Deve are indeed the various clans that make up the Kolam people. Weddings between members of the same clan are forbidden. This tribe is the oldest tribe in india.

The Kolams take their surname from the clan names. Church, Lakhu, Vadang, Aanzi, Konde, Shilekar, Kodape, Bode, Rampure, and others are among the tribal clans. Kolam tribe is also regarded as one of the largest tribes in India.

Kola signifies “stick” or “bamboo” in its language, hence the Kolam name itself Kovar. Its name comes from the fact that they make wattles, baskets, & winnowing fans out of bamboo. In the twelfth century, the Gond tribes viewed the Kolam tribes were their priests, according to their early history.

Culture

The Kolam tribes’ culture parallels that of the Gond tribes in terms of rites and ceremonies, owing to their close kinship. Agriculture is the primary employment of the residents of this hamlet. Most of them will be also involved in forest labour, hunting, and the production of timber goods.

How the kolam tribe functions:

Homemade remedies are preferred by the Kolam tribes. They adapted to farming & cultivation, and changing cultivation is occasionally used. In exchange for daily compensation, some people of the Kolam indigenous community serve as workers. 

Animal farming, fishing, and food collection are examples of other jobs. Kolam foodstuff gatherers primarily gather various products from wild regions and sell them in marketplaces.

This Kolam script is founded just on the agricultural practices of the Kolam people. The Kolam are tidy, soft-spoken, and ecologically sensitive people who use bamboo extensively in their everyday life. This crowbar, one of the most significant tools, is also suggested by the vertical line of their alphabet.

Society

Kolam community used to be constituted of the joint family system that shared farming responsibilities. Most Kolams nowadays, though, have nuclear families, known as Bala sula. Credit is due to the bhasa (husband’s older brother), mama (partner’s dad), appa (partner’s mom), dhola (husband’s grandpa), and the (family’s uncle) (grandmother of husband). 

Just on the wife’s mother’s side, the matching relatives are treated with the same regard. Sanji (son-in-law) & AAP (wife’s mother) also show some respect. Additional forms of relationships exist, such as those between sisters-in-law and brothers, as well as those between grandkids and grandparents, every one having its name.

Marriage

Kolams practice penli or monogamous marriage. The wedding between cousins is permissible. The marriageable age is somewhere between 18 and 20 years old.  The marriage of a widower to her brother is illegal, however, after the death of the person, a man may marry his wife’s sister. Mangalsutra, Mattel (earring), Dongarra (fingers ring), besar (nose stud), trad (Pichia), and gajal are worn by married women (bangles). 

They don’t have a dowry. The majority of weddings are planned, however, wedding by capture is permitted on occasion. Most marriages by capture, on the other hand, are which were before by the two or more parties.

Kolam tribe festival

When we talk about the Kolam tribe festival, People are praying to Bhimadeva, the chief god of the Kolam clan, during the Bhimanna festival, which lasts 3 days in the month of ‘Satti’ (December). On the inside of a covered shelter, an intricately carved mallet is adorned with peacock feathers, a saucepan, a belt of bells (pher), miniature clay figures, and anklets (marver).

Thursday would be when Bhimanna’s remains are delivered to the town. The relics are taken to Mohamloddi once after a lamb or bird is slaughtered. 

Bhimanna is washed in this creek, which is 18 kilometres from the settlement. By dusk, the Bhimanna idol has been returned to the village, a buffalo has been slaughtered, and a communal feast has been had once the flesh has been cooked. After that, the idol is put.

This sacrifice is made to ensure that the commitments are kept. These priests are presented first with made food. Jowar is prepared and combined with cooked beef, and little amounts are put on all the town’s foundations.

Just persons from the Kolam tribe are allowed to attend animal sacrifices. Members from those other groups are not permitted.

Conclusion

In this article, we have discussed the Kolar tribe, a short overview of the Kolar tribe, the Kolar tribe, Maharashtra, society, marriage, and the festival celebrated by the Kolar tribe.