The Hidden Story of KORA

Ps. Nirmal Singh

1. Kora:
The word Kora is a corrupt from of Koda which is a Mundari word and it is stands for
cutting and digging soil. The occupation moral is also considered by them which is carried out
by them since time immemorial is also considered by them as their primary and traditional
occupation. Though there are some belief and evidence which corroborate the fact that once
upon a time they worked as kahar or career of palkis of Landlord and British Administrator.1

2. Origin of Kora:
About the Kora’s origin there is no proper documents. But some of them had assumed
that, they are the ancient aborigines of Chotonagpur. Kora community, after Paharias may be
considered as one of the early settlers or Santhal parganas. Kora claim themselves to be
Nagawansi, for example who descends from Naga or Cobra Snakes. They believed that once
upon a time they used to live somewhere in Nagpur. But on the basis of oral history re-
constriction, I came to the conclusion that it was actually Chottonagpur.

An interesting history of mythological story was recorded during investigation from one
of the informant Sri Sushil Kora, about the origin and the nomenclature of this community,
which helps us understanding when, why and also how this community has been given the name
Kora. The story goes on to say that when lord Rama alone with his army of monkeys were
constructing the bridge in order to have control on SriLanka to get back from the clutch of devil
king Ravan, Modi,

Population of Kora:
The Koras in the state of Bihar are the inhabitants or Dumka, Godda, Sahebganj, Deoghar,
Pakur, Banka, Jamui, Mongher, Bckaro, Chaibasa, Katihar, and Shanbad district. The total
population of kora tribe in the state of Bihar is 33,951. Out of which 17, 790 (52,93%) are male
and the female population is constituted by 47.07% of the total

According to 1981 census in West Bengal the population of Kora was 96,835, among them male
was 48, 960 and female was 47, 857. In 1971 their population was 93, 586 so in that decade their
population was little increased.

Classification of Kora:

3. Social Organisation: (সামাজিক সংস্থা)

The socity of Kora is patrilineal and partilocal. All property is inherited from father to
son. According to Kora, their society is divided four sub-division like Mudi Kora, Kumi Kora,
Nagbansi-Murali Kora and Orang Kora or Rajbansi Kora. They have a number of totemestic

1
Prakash Chandra Mehta, Ethnographic Atlas of Indian Tribes, 340
clans, which are derived from plants, fruits and animals namely, Kachhap, Salu, Maram, Shoel,
Kundra, Roy, Logdu, Chaka, Sha, Gnoe and Lakra. But present study finds out only four clans
like Hembrom, Hora, Salkishar and Tirki.

Accommodations and Homes:

Once upon a time these people were far away from the locality and living on the edge of
the jungle, but in present days they are no longer seen living in that environment. Now these
people are living in the village along with the other community. They build their house with the
earth and with hey they shade. And some of them use bamboo and earth for the wall.

4. Occupation of Kora:
In the past days their main occupation was digging soil. But in present days we can see
mostly they are involving in cultivation.

5. Belief and Practices of Kora:

6. Birth:
Nartaa ora:

7. Marriage of Kora:
Marriage is a culturally recognized union between people. Among the Kora marriage
involves certain common responsibility. The husband has exclusive right over the close favor of
his wife. Marriages among same clan member are prohibited. Village and ogamy between
members of different clan may be preferred. In the marriage the rules of generation is not strictly
followed. Usually three generation from bride-groom side upto for-grandfather level and an
identical generation by bride side is traced and given importance. The age of the marriage is also
given importance. Early marriage after attaining puberty is generally given priority to them.
Marriages are generally arranged with the help of Aghua/Agua who does the job of mediator.

7. 1. Marriage Rituals:
There are some rituals which practice during marriage.

7. 1. 1. Nenel:

7. 1. 2. Thuti Batra:

7. 1. 3. Harochin: girl first and boy

7. 1. 3. 1. Toya Taka:

7. 1. 4. Gira-tol:
7. 1. 5. Avra-madi:
7. 1. 6. Sindur-dan:
7. 1. 7. Bostro-dan:
Ai shari: from boys side
pesi shari:
maa shari:
baba dhuti genji:
sala dhuti genji:
Pon: Rs 51
Dena Powna: (school chanda, song charani, choukidari tax.)
Idi ruyar agu ruyar: two and half day

Duyar tika: one month or fifteen days

8. Death:
Death is life’s ending. To clarify death further, we will need to say a bit about the nature of
life, and ask whether life can be suspended or restored, and how it relates to our continued
existence. We can also distinguish between the concept of death and criteria by which death
can be detected.2

Sengel irich:
8. 1. Kamano:
8. 1. 1. Dan dokhina: ora atar

9. Kora in India:

10. Festival of Kora:

Like other community Kora also celebrate their festival, though they don’t have much
festival in their culture or community.
10. 1. Karam Bonga:
10. 2. Gora Bonga:
10. 3. Makar Porab:

11. Role of Kora Woman in the Society

According to the size of the population, the tribal groups may be classified under five heads very
large, large, medium, small and very small. The Santhals are the only community which can be
called ‘very large’, covering more than 50 per cent of the total tribal population of the state. It is
also most advanced among the tribes. The Oraon community, which forms more than 14 per cent
of the state’s tribal population, can be termed as a ‘large’ community. Two other communities –
Bhumij and Munda may be categorised as ‘medium-sized’. Under the ‘small’ sized communities
there are the Kora and other tribes like Lodhas, Kherias, Mahalis, Bhutias and Savaras.3

Character of Kora Women:

2
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/death/ (23-04-2020)
3
https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/204343/9/09_chapter%202.pdf (19.10.2019, 11:47
AM).
Kora Woman in Development:

The Koras are widely distributed in the districts of Bardhaman (Barsul village), Medinipur
(Tarapur, Kanpur, Golackpur, Jambuni, Jhatiya, Shitli, Ranbania and Dudhebude village) and
purulia (Raghunathpur, Gobindapur, Sanka village). During 1990-1996 many Kora families of
Paschim Amba village Gokulpur, West Medinipur, lost their lands in course of the huge amount
of land acquisition (about 700 acres of fertile land) for the establishment of two big industrial
companies: Tata Metaliks and Birla Century.

During my filed study, in the month of July 2012, to Nathsimahalla Korapara village, Pandua
Block, Hooghly district, revealed that the Koras are mainly dependent on agriculture and wage-
earning as daily laborers. About 69 per cent of the Kora families have their own land and most
of them work in their own land as well as in others, on a sharecropper basis. Kora women do
sowing, transplanting, weeding, harvesting, threshing, winnowing, husking, preparation of rice
and reaping. And adult Kora male earn 500/- rupees on an average during agriculture season per
month, whereas a Kora female worker earns 300/- rupees on an average per month on the daily
wage basis. Minor forest products are also collected both for personal consumption and
marketing. The most important edible produce of the forest is the Mahua (Matkom) flower.
Tamaeind in another important item collected for house hold consumption. Collection and seal
of the Sarjom Sekam (sal leaves) and Math (bamboo) has assumed a great importance in recent
times due to increase in the manufacture of leaf-plate and basket making from Sarjom Sekam
(sal leaves) and Math Kathi (bamboo sticks) respectively. Fishing is also one of the seasonal
food gathering activities of the Koras. Both men and women take part in fishing activities.4

Kora Women in Family:

The Kora women really enjoy equal status in the family with the males. They actively participate
not only in the earning for a livelihood for the family; they also carry on all the household
chores. A Kora woman generally gets up earlier than a Kora male. She cleans the cattle shed and
the chicken coops, washes the house, cleans the utensils, feeds the children, dresses herself well
and goes out to work in the fields. At noon on her way back she collects fuel for cooking, fetches
water for cooking and for the animals. She then prepares the food for all the members of the
house. She goes back to work until sunset. In the evening the exhausted Kora woman comes
back home, but not to rest. She has to collects firewood, fetches water, and cooks for the waiting
hungry children and husband.5 In the family if she has in-laws and mother in-laws who became
very old, she has to take care of them.

Kora Women in Agriculture:

4
A History of Adivasi Women in Post-Independence Eastern India: The Margins, 56
5
https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/204343/9/09_chapter%202.pdf (19.10.2019, 11:47
AM).
We know that Kora women are hard working women. They contribute their time to the
agriculture for their family as well as to help their husband. A Kora woman has so many
characters in agriculture. In the family who doesn’t have man, all of them are women except
their father. Women have to do all the work for agriculture from plowing to until harvest. As
they work hard in the family, also they work in the field as well. Early in the morning they cook
and go to the field. During the time of plowing they sow the seeds in the field. And when it
grows up, they clean the grass from paddy plant. They give medicine to protect paddy plant from
insects.

In the forest there are Kora women who do not do agriculture. But they work hard to support
their family. From the forest they get so many things like- Sarjom Sekam (Sal leaves), Madhu
(Honey), Chit (Gum) and Matkom Baha (Muhul flower). They go into the forest to fined Sarjom
Sekam (Sal leaves), Madhu (Honey), Chit (Gum) and Matkom Baha (Muhul flower). When they
go into the forest they do not know they will come back or not because, in the forest they use to
face with the animals that are very truculent.

Kora Women in Education: