Lodha people

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For the social group of people in Rajasthan and Gujarat, see Lodha.

Lodha people are an group living primarily in the Indian states of Odisha and West Bengal. Lodhas of West Bengal mostly live the Paschim Medinipur and Jhargham districts. A section of the Lodha has converted to Islam, and formed a distinct community called the Lodha Muslims.

Lodha
লোধা, ଲୋଧା
ReligionsHinduism, Islam
LanguagesLodhi, Sadri, Bengali, Odia
CountryIndia
Populated statesWest Bengal, Odisha
Related groupsMunda people, Lodha Muslims, Sabar

Demographics[]

As per 2001 census, Lodhas numbered 84,966 and formed 1.9 per cent of the scheduled tribe population of West Bengal. They had a literacy rate of 34.8 per cent.[1] As per the 2011 census, Lodhas now have a population of ~1.09 lakh in West Bengal and almost 10,000 in Odisha.

They are found in Suliapada and Morada blocks of Baripada sub-division of Mayurbhanj district of Orissa.[2]

Focus[]

Lodha means piece of flesh named after their ancestor. Lodhas have been in the focus of anthropologists and social activists.[3] During the early period of their rule, the British government in India oppressed the tribal people of Jungle Mahals, who were traditionally dependent upon the forests for a living. They had revolted but were ruthlessly suppressed. Having been deprived of their livelihood and without any alternatives, they took to criminal ways of life and were subsequently branded a criminal tribe. They should properly be labelled as uprooted rebels. Lodha titles are Nayek, Mallick, Digar, Sardar, Bhokta, Kotal, Dandapat, Bhunya etc. These titles were also used by the Sabars.[4] One of the most important research on the Lodhas was done by a Calcutta University faculty, Professor Probodh Kumar Bhowmic[5][6] Much later, researchers from the Department of Anthropology at Vidyasagar University have done empirical studies on the development scenario of the Lodha tribe in Mendinpur district[7][8] who were by that time declared as a 'Primitive Tribal Group' (PTG) by the Government of India.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "West Bengal: Data Highlights the Scheduled Tribes" (PDF). Census of India 2001. Census Commission of India. Retrieved 26 September 2009.
  2. ^ "Mayurbhanj, Tribal languages, festivals and culture". Retrieved 26 September 2009.
  3. ^ Vidyarthi, Lalita Prasad (1978). Rise of anthropology in India: a social science orientation, Volume 1 By Lalita Prasad Vidyarthi. Retrieved 26 September 2009.
  4. ^ Ghosh, Binoy, Paschim Banger Sanskriti, (in Bengali), part I, 1976 edition, pp. 201-203, Prakash Bhaban
  5. ^ Bhowmick, P. K. (1981). "Rehabilitation of a 'Denotified Community': The Ex-Criminal Lodhas of West Bengal". RAIN (44): 6–8. doi:10.2307/3032233. JSTOR 3032233.
  6. ^ Lodhas of West Bengal: A Socio-economic Study by P.K.Bhowmick https://www.amazon.com/Lodhas-Bengal-Socio-Economic-Study-Foreword/dp/B000OMQZYY
  7. ^ Guha, Abhijit (2014). "Lodhas of West Bengal : A Case Study". Tribal Tribune. 6 (2).
  8. ^ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257221844_Ground_realities_of_Development_among_the_Lodhas_in_West_Bengal

Further reading[]

  • Ota, A.B; Sahoo, A.C (2010). "Lodha" (PDF). tribal.nic.in. Photo handbook. Scheduled castes and scheduled Tribes Research Training Institute, Bhubaneswar. Retrieved 10 February 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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