Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)

Vol-2, Issue-4, 2016

ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

Ethnographic Analysis of Savara Tribe

in India
Delliswararao Konduru
M.COM, M A (Antropology), C G T.
Scientist B (N.I.E – I C M R)
Abstract : Savara, numbering about 4.92 lakhs in They presently inhabit Orissa, Andhra Pradesh,
(1982) are one of the most populus tribes of the MadhyaPradesh, WestBengal, Tripura, Bihar and
country.They presently inhabit Orissa, Andhra Assam However, the present Orissa state contains
Pradesh, MadhyaPradesh, WestBengal, Tripura, nearly three-fourths of the total population of the
Bihar and Assam However, the present Orissa state Savara. In Orissa, their number is about 3, 42 lakhs
contains nearly three-fourths of the total and are distributed in 13 districts. In this State they
population of the Savara. In Orissa, their number are mostly concentrated in Ganjam and Koraput
is about 3, 42 lakhs and are distributed in 13 districts.
districts. In this State they are mostly concentrated Their population in these two districts Account for
in Ganjam and Koraput districts. Their population more than one-third of the total Savara Population
in these two districts Account for more than one- in the country. In Andhra Pradesh, the Savara
third of the total Savara Population in the country. account for about 5.14% in 1982. of its total tribal
population. They occupy a continuous belt in the
1. INTRODUCTION: Vizianagaram and the Srikakulam Vishakapatnam
districts. Bordering the Orissa State. The present
SCHEDULED TRIBES: Savara population. Srikakulam district has a
predominant tribal population. Besides the Savara,
The term “Scheduled Tribes” first appeared in the three other important tribal communities, namely
Constitution of India. Article 366 (25) defines Jatapu, Kondadora and Gadaba inhabit the district.
Scheduled Tribes as “such tribes or tribal The Savara are also one of the most primitive tribes
communities or parts of or groups within such of Andhrapradesh. They are mainly found in the
tribes or tribal communities as are deemed under picturesque Palakonda hill ranges (part of Eastern
Article 342 to be Scheduled Tribes for the purposes Ghats) of Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts.
of this Constitution". Article 342 prescribes the They are also found scattered in the district of
procedure to be followed in the matter of Vishakhapatnam of Andhrapradesh. About 9o% of
specification of Scheduled Tribes. Savara in Andhra Pradesh are concentrated in
Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts. They
Empowered by Clause (1) of Article 342, the belong to Proto-Australoid racial stock.
President may, with respect to any State or Union
Territory, and where it is a State, after consultation On the basis of physical features the Savara habitat
with the Governor thereof, notify tribes or tribal can be divided into two distinct zones: (1) the hill
communities or parts of these as Scheduled Tribes. settlements and (2) the foothill settlements. The hill
This confers on the tribe or part of it a settlements, as the name suggests, are mainly in
Constitutional status invoking the safeguards mountainous country, of late large number of these
provided for in the Constitution, to these settlements are accessible by road. Only during the
communities in their respective States/UTs. last ten years have the Savara of these settlements
come in contact with the outside world, mainly due
Clause (2) of the Article empowers the Parliament to the penetration of the Christian missionaries,
to pass a law to include in or exclude from the list who are organizing the promotion of the Gospel of
of Scheduled Tribes, any tribe or tribal community Christ. For all practical purposes the normal
or parts of these. administrative machinery of government was
absent in the past, except for the activities of forest
SAVARA TRIBE: guards. Contact with the outside world is only
peripheral, and the Savara of these settlements have
Savara, numbering about 4.92 lakhs in (1982) are remained food gatherers and shifting-cultivators.
one of the most populus tribes of the country.

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Vol-2, Issue-4, 2016
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

The second zone, the smaller of the two in terms of considered as one of the important determinant of
population and number of settlements, consists of change in the cultural, social and economic life of
the foothill settlements of Savara along the Eastern Savara. Here, the term social is referred to mean
Ghats. These settlements came in touch with network of social relations, roles and interaction of
outsiders much earlier than the hill settlements, and people in a society. While culture applies to the
these contacts have increased in the last two artifacts, mentifacts, institutions, values, ideas,
decades due to the migration of non-tribal into technology and other symbolic systems that direct
tribal areas. The Savara of these settlements the human behavior in the patterned society of
cultivate terraced land with ploughs, like the Jatapu Savara.
of the foothill settlements.
Culture change is the process by which the existing
Etymologically, in Sanskrit, Savara or Sabara order of the society is transformed from one type
means a mountaineer. It is believed that savaras into another. The change occurs due to
were one of the indigenous tribes of pre-historic endogamous independent inventions, conflicts and
India adept in manufacturing painted pottery and reconciliations between incompatible points within
even copper tools and weapons. H.D.Sankalia was the system. Firth (1951) states that interaction with
of the opinion that “the bearers of the Nevasa – other cultures introduces exogamous change.
Nevadatoli culture as well as of the copper hoard Outsiders, accidentally or spontaneously
belong to indigenous tribes, such as Nishads, communicate new ideas resulting in the diffusion
Pulindas, Savars, some of whom though now quite of selected ideas. Structural change occurs if new
primitive might have made 3000-4000 years ago procedures alter or influence the basic relationship
beautiful painted pottery and even copper tools and between the members of the society. Usually,
weapons”. The savaras were the first tribal groups change is brought first in technology, economy and
mentioned in the Hindu epics like the Ramayana slowly in non-material objects. The primitive tribal
and the Mahabharata. Sri Rama, during his societies like Savara are relatively stable and
wanderings in search of sita, is said to have met an integrated. However, they may disintegrate
aryanised savara women by name Sabari. followed by reintegration in the process of social
evolution by the disappearance of simple system in
They were considered to be the descendants of sage favour of complex system.
Viswamitra, who lived round about 800BC. During
Mahabharata, sahithya darpana mentioned that the Malinowski (1954) in his book ‘The Dynamics of
Sabari and Ahiri dialects were spoken by the leaf- Culture Change’ clearly explained the impact of
gathering and wood-cutting people, the sabaras. contact on culture. Srinivas (1972) discussed the
process of cultural change in India and introduced
In olden days, the savara country was very the concept of Sankritization referring to the
extensive, spreading on either side of the vindhyas process of adoption of customs, rituals and
– up to the Ganges in the north and the Godavari in ideology of higher castes by the lower ones.
the south. They were further found to have Redfield used the concept of ‘Great and Little
inhabited the country as far south as the pennar Traditions’ in the study of great traditional
river and also along the valleys of the Krishna elements (Parochialization) and upward movement
river. In course of time, unable to withstand the of little traditional elements (Universalization)
onslaught of the Aryans, they fled to the hills and occur due to interaction of cultures.
forests away from the abode of the Aryans. In the present ethnographic study of Savara change
in cultural practices and organizational setup is
Savara occupy more remote and mountainous areas definitely observed in Savara society and the
and are characterized by small close-knit impact is more on people living in PubbadaGuda,
communities. In the foothill areas their area of KilladaGuda and SeedhiGuda villages than
habitation i.e., village is clearly demarcated from PongalamGuda, JalubuGuda, JaggadiGuda,
other Jatapu villages. AppannaGuda, ChadhunuGuda and Pandra villages
of Seethampeta mandal due to more exposure and
Till 80’s there was no transportation facility or contact with alien culture in the former villages.
roads and only in the recent decades, due to
development of road transport, implementation of
tribal development schemes and schools were 2. AREA AND CLIMATE
established. Several plains people migrated to The habitat is hilly terrain. The average altitude of
agency tracts for business, employment and other hilly terrain is around 1000 ft to 5000 ft above
means. Then, local tribal came into contact with mean sea level. Climate is temperate to warm
non-tribal people bringing some socio-cultural ranging from 43oC to 13oC, low humidity, thin to
change among Savara. Non-tribal contact can be

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Vol-2, Issue-4, 2016
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

medium forest cover and medium to above mean political and linguistic patterns. This complex
rainfall. The heavy and incessant rains of the south- cultural frame work is amply illustrated by the fact
west monsoon and the north-east monsoon lash the that the Savara society in general consists as many
eastern ghats of the region feeding waters to as twenty six (26) endogamous divisions with or
innumerable fast flowing hill-streams, rivers and without the presence of clear cut exogamous sub-
rivulets. About 2/3rd of the rainfall is received divisions. The following are the names of the
from the south-west monsoon (June to September). endogamous groups present among the Savara of
The climate where Savara are living has its the country. Arsid Savara, Bhima Savara, Besend
influence on the food habits, dressing, housing and Savara, Bobbili Savara, Dondiya Savara, Goutara
cropping pattern. Climate plays a very significant Savara, Jadu Savara, Jara Savara, Jati Savara, Jurai
role in the lives of Savara. Whenever there are Savara, Kampu Savara, Kindal Savara, Kimsed
changes in climate i.e., scanty rainfall or heavy Savara, Kudumba Savara, Kumba Savara,
rainfall it would directly affect the economy of the Lambolanjia Savara, Luang Savara, Malia Savara,
Savara due to low agricultural yield. Mara Savara, Moni Savara, Milu Savara, Mutta
Savara, Sarada Savara, Sudda Savara, Tekkali
SUB-DIVISIONS Savara and Kapu Savara.
The Savara social structure does not present a
uniform pattern throughout the various parts of the According to Sir Edgar Thurston, Savara are
habitations in the country. The Savara living in divided into two broad groups viz., Hill Savara and
Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and other Plain Savara.
parts of the country have varied cultural, social,
Demographic features of savara tribe population
Table 1
Scheduled Tribe population and decadal change by residence : 2011
Scheduled Tribe population2011 Decadal change2001-2011
Rural Urban
Total Rural Urban Total

INDI A 104,281,034 93,819,162 10,461,872 23.7 21.3 49.7

Table 2
Scheduled Tribe population by sex and residence : Census 2011
MALE FEMALE
TOTAL RURAL URBAN TOTAL RURAL URBAN
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)
INDIA 5,24,09,823 4,71,26,341 52,83,482 5,18,71,211 4,66,92,821 51,78,390

Table 3
Sex Ratio among Scheduled Tribes by residence : 2001 - 2011
Sex Ratio 2001 Sex Ratio 2011
Total Rural Urban Total Rural Urban
2 2 3 4 5 6 7
INDIA 978 981 944 990 991 980

Table 4 :
State wise Scheduled Tribe population and decadal change by residence : Census 2011
State/ UT Code India/ State/ Union Scheduled Tribe Decadal change 2001-
Territory population 2011 2011
Total Rural Urban Total Rural Urban
INDIA 104,281,034 93,819,162 10,461,872 23.7 21.3 49.7
Jharkhand 8,645,042 7,868,150 776,892 22 21 32.3
Odisha 9,590,756 8,994,967 595,789 17.7 16.8 33.4
Chhattisgarh 7,822,902 7,231,082 591,820 18.2 15.4 68.2
Madhya Pradesh 15,316,784 14,276,874 1,039,910 25.2 24.7 32.1
Andhra Pradesh 5,918,073 5,232,129 685,944 17.8 12.6 81.9

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
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ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

Table 5 :
Literacy Rate of All Social Groups, SC and ST Population (1961-2011)
(Figures in percentage)
Year All Social Groups SC ST
Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total
1961 40.4 15.35 28.3 16.96 3.29 10.27 13.83 3.16 8.53
1971 45.96 21.97 34.45 22.36 6.44 14.67 17.63 4.85 11.30
1981 56.38 29.76 43.57 31.12 10.93 21.38 24.52 8.04 16.35
1991 64.13 39.29 52.21 49.91 23.76 37.41 40.65 18.19 29.60
2001 75.26 53.67 64.84 66.64 41.9 54.69 59.17 34.76 47.10
2011 80.89 64.64 72.99 75.17 56.46 66.07 68.53 49.35 58.96
Source: Registrar General of India

3. LANGUAGE: locally available Dhabba grass. All other

Savara speak Savara language which belongs to the supporting structure is made of bamboo, collected
Kol-Munda group of Austro-Asiatic family of from adjacent forest. The roof slopes down to front
languages. They are generally bilingual. Those in and back side of the house. Usually the roof is
the plains lost touch with the original language and further extended on one side of house to form a
speak Telugu only. . The Savara language has a small verandah. The room has no windows except
complicated grammar, in particular its verb system. one entrance door. It appears that the low roofs
A Savara verb can effectively compact an entire without any ventilation are for protecting
sentence into just a single word. In some areas, the themselves from cold winds during winter season
younger generations no longer speak Savara. With and to avoid damage to mud walls due to rains.
no official support, the long-term prospects for the They cook food outside the house i.e., in verandah.
survival of the Savara language are not good. They divide the verandah into two portions and use
corner place for cooking and other portion to
4. PHYSICAL FEATURES: accommodate/entertain guests. They decorate walls
People of Savara resemble the predravidian tribes by applying red coloured mud and they also apply
with long heads and flat noses. The brow ridges are cow dung on floors and on mud walls to keep
prominent. There is a depression at the root of the house clean. They believe that this type of
nose. The hair is generally curly and the skin color arrangement keeps the insects, terminates, flies
is brown to dark brown. The Savara are not etc., away from the house.
strongly built, but they are physically well built in
comparison to the tribes of north coast Andhra. The Another significant feature of the Savara
Savara men are dexterous marathon walkers. They settlements is the presence of half a dozen or more
are also expert climbers and hunters. The most Jeelugu (salpam) trees. An area with abundant
remarkable point of men from the Savara tribe is Jeeluqu trees is readily preferred in case of
his dexterity in climbing hills and efficiency in establishment of a new settlement. In rare cases,
maneuvering the intractable forest land. Jeelugu trees are grown after the establishment of
the village. If there are more number of Jeelugu
trees, the villagers can honour their guests well. In
5. VILLAGE AND HOUSE: marriage negotiations too, people proudly point out
The housing pattern of the Savara is of linear type. the number of Jeelugu trees in their village.
The villages where Savara live are usually at the
hilltops of Eastern Ghats (Palakonda Hill ranges) The cattle sheds in the settlements are built a few
between Vamshadhara and Nagavali rivers feet away from the house. Since all the households
Vizianagaram and Srikakulam Districts do not require cattle sheds, their number is few.
respectively. The villages are relatively small with The houses are surrounded by these cattle sheds.
ten to twenty families. The Savara always live in Any space left between the cattle sheds is used to
exclusive settlement of their own. They never build store the fire wood or grass used for thatching the
their houses in the company of either the other houses. In some villages, on the backyard of the
tribal or non-tribal groups. Villages are dwelling place, kitchen gardens are also grown. At
homogenous, exclusively inhabited by Savara the outskirts, under the trees, one finds menhirs
People. erected in the name of dead persons of the village.
A typical house is square or rectangular single
room with mud plastered walls supported with Of late, the state government is constructing double
bamboos. The roof is thatched and covered by room concrete houses with windows for ventilation

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and lot of open space, as colonies under the

flagship programme of INDIRAMMA (Integrated 8. FAMILY:
Development in Rural and Model Municipal Family is a primary social group, universally
Areas). Majority of villages have no safe drinking recognized to be basis of all human endeavour and
water facilities i.e., bore wells, community water activities. The concept of family has been found to
tanks etc., They lack toilet facilities. Even though exist since time immemorial and at all the levels of
some Savara houses have toilets they prefer open culture. In Savara society father is the head of the
defecation. family. Descent is patrilineal or agnatic descent.
The Savara villages are situated in the most in- Inheritance of property is also through father line.
accessible areas and in many cases lie hidden in
forest clad hills making it difficult to reach them The rule of residence is patrilocal. However, when
except through zig-zag steep hill paths. They build a man acquires his mate through marriage by
their houses on the slope or foot of the hills. service (Kinarsung or Illarikam), the son-in-law
agrees to stay either forever or for a fixed period in
6. DRESS PATTERN: his father-in-law’s house after marriage looking
There is hardly anything distinctive about the dress after his assets. Usually, this practice is confined to
of a Savara man which consists of loin cloth about families having no male children.
6 ft long and 10 inches breadth. This may be plain
or may be decorated with red tarsels at the ends. Traditionally, extended families were common, but
Occasionally they wear a single necklace of beads; nowadays the nuclear families are predominant
a traditional dress of a Savara woman is a waist among the Savara. Neolocal residence is common
cloth with grey border which hardly reaches the after marriage. All sons share the father’s property
knee. The skirt is about three ft in length and about equally i.e., male equigeniture.
two ft in breadth and for the upper part they wear
another piece of cloth. Monogamy is a rule but polygyny is also observed
occasionally. So one can notice polygynous family
The Savara women use simple ornaments to adorn along with monogamous families in the Savara
themselves. A few necklaces of beads, round societies. Among Savara family plays a key role
wooden plugs, spiral rings made of grass, bell unlike the other tribal groups of the region in view
metal or aluminum in the fingers and toes, little of the absence of the usual exogamous clans. This
rings in the nose, and metal anklets are worn by single unit of their social structure thus constitutes
them. Their traditional dress pattern has been the nucleus and hub of their social life. Family is
changed drastically, leaving behind only few patrilineal, patrilocal and patriarchal.
people in the interior villages retaining their
traditional cultural life style. The father or eldest male member enjoys the
authority. Full authority vests in the hands of male.
Women have no decision-making power, but she is
7. FOOD HABITS: consulted by men while taking certain important
They are non-vegetarians and eat fowl, pork, goat, decisions. Every decision regarding household
fish (dry fish), forest animals (wild boar, wild either it is economic, social, religious or
sheep, rabbit etc.,), birds and beef meat. They also ceremonial, the decision making power is vested
consume tubers of potato like savadi dhumpa, with man. Even though women contribute to family
donda dhumpa, adavi dhumpa etc., income they have little or no control over family
expenditure. Thus decisions regarding family
The staple food is rice, jowar and millets. A change affairs are taken by father or eldest male member of
in their food habits is observed. They used to the family in consultation with family members.
consume millets in the past, but now they take rice
due to subsidized supply of rice through public Though the family, as an institution is permanent
distribution system. They also consume varieties of and universal in all human societies, it has
pulses, green leaves, edible wild fruits, roots/tubers undergone certain changes within itself as an
etc., In the last fifteen years major shifts in dietary association. Thus, compositional and structural
habits have taken place, and now Savara rarely dig changes sometimes take place within a family
for wild tubers. organization. The modern type of family found
among Savara, is a typical example of this kind of
Consumption of dairy products is marginal. They change. The traditional extended family has
drink country liquor and bottled alcohol. They are changed over to the small extended family or
fond of fermented juice (Kallu) extracted from nuclear family in the recent decades of this century,
Jeeluga Chettu. but this change has been basically structural. The

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functions of the family, however, have not been In this perspective, Savara society can be viewed as
much disturbed in spite of the structural changes in an ensemble of elementary family units. The
the family. Under the impact of acculturation and Savara family is a social unit comprising of the
increase in contact with caste population and other immediate kinsfolk like mother, father and
processes of change, the concept of family has children. Demographic and ecological factors have
undergone drastic transformations not only in their role in shaping of the Savara society as every
Savara but all over the tribes of India. But in spite member in the Savara society is directly or
of the changes in the form and structure of the indirectly linked to each other in the social
family, family as an institution continues in one network. Institutionalized relations within the
way or the other. social web are reflected in their kinship
terminology.
The Savara families with surnames are classified
into prescribed and proscribed families for entering Some of the usages, which have social sanction and
into marital alliances. The social organization of convention are considered necessary for keeping
the Savara is based on exogamous surnames order and decorum in society. Those usages which
(intiperlu). Each Savara family has a surname and are related to behaviours between kin relations are
follows strict exogamy at surname level. Some of called as kinship behavior. In the society, there are
the surnames of Savara are Areka, Konda Gorre, different types of families and various degrees of
Biddiki, Mandinga, Puvvula, Kadraka, Emeriki, kin groups that exhibit different types of behavior
Cheemala etc., The surnames are associated to by cutting joke with each other or perform
patri-clan. avoidance relationship, and such usages, verbal or
non-verbal, constitute kinship behaviour, some of
9. KINSHIP: kinship behaviour which is universal in many
The Savara kinship terminology is mostly societies such as avoidance and joking relationship
classificatory, through a few of their kinship terms is also found in Savara.
are descriptive. The terms of kinship applicable to
relatives, consanguineous and affinal, are strikingly Savara observe avoidance relation towards
the same. All the male grandparents of the speaker daughter-in-law, mother-in-law, father-in-law,
both from the maternal and paternal side are younger brother’s wife etc., and clear cut distance
classified by the only term ‘Jojong’. All the female is maintained between younger sister-in-law and
relatives of the third generation above the speaker elder brother-in-law (husband’s elder brother) and
are indicated by the term ‘Yoyong’. The collateral elder brother-in-law and younger sister-in-law
and the lineal relatives are not kept distinct, but (wife’s younger sister). Similarly, avoidance is
they are merged together and a single kinship term observed between son-in-law and his mother-in-
expresses the relationship. law.

Inspite of the fact that most of the Savara kinship An extreme degree of familiarity expressed through
terms are classificatory, a few descriptive terms are joking relationship between certain kin relations by
also noticed. The following are a few such terms: way of cracking a satire, taunt, exchange of abuse,
obscene and vulgar references to sex, etc. Savara
English Term Savara Term observe joking relationship between consanguineal
Father - Vang groups such as grandchildren and grandparents,
Mother - Yeng younger brother-in-law and elder sister-in-law
Wife - Dukkiri (elder brother’s wife) and, wife and husband. A
Husband - Ammonla joking relationship, when not reciprocal, exercises
Father’s elder brother - Thatha a social control as it exercises correction through
Wife’s sister’s husband - Saddu ridicule. Radcliffe brown regards the joking
Elder brother’s wife - Bonni relationship as having a symbolic meaning. Joking
Younger brother’s wife - Koina relations may be only a kind of friendliness
Wife’s elder sister - Kinar expressed by a show of hostility.
Wife’s younger sister - Erriboi
In Savara kinship can be based on unilateral
The classificatory nature of the Savara kinship descent i.e., to patrilineal. The Savara may have
terminology has been shown by analyzing the found that in the male, work solidarity is more
Savara kinship terms and listings the number of important for them. This is, clearly seen in their
relationships to which a kinship term applies. It has control of allocation of goods and their role in
be found that relationship is traced not between offence and defense, which are most critical to the
individuals but between groups of individuals. maintenance and protection of their ways of life.
This seems to be directly reflected in the high

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incidence of the virilocal residence rule which happens only when all the siblings are females
ultimately produces the patrilocal family among without a single male to inherit the property. But
Savara. this is not the universal case in Savara society.
Consanguineous marriages between parallel
Savara have extensive kinship networks. They have cousins i.e., among brothers children or among
kins in more than five villages. The kinship sisters children are prohibited. Cross cousin
relations between villages are established through marriages (FSD and MBD) are more common and
affinal relations i.e., marriage links. Marriage plays occasionally maternal uncle-niece marriages are
a very important role in kinship networks of also observed.
Savara. Some Savara families in several villages
such as PubbadaGuda, KilladaGuda, The preferential method of acquiring a mate among
ChadhunuGuda etc., have kins in more than ten the Savara is by Marriage by Negotiation and
villages. mutual agreement (Penkui) which involves long
procedure depending upon the talks of either party.
10. MARRIAGE: The other methods of acquiring mate among the
Marriage, a publicly recognized and culturally Savara are by Marriage by elopement
sanctioned union between a male and female, (Dingdengboi or Dandaboi), Marriage by service
which is intended to be enduring, to give primary (Kinarsung or Illarikam) and Marriage by exchange
(but not necessarily exclusive) sexual rights in each (Ulaiboi). Except for marriage by negotiation, for
other to the couple, and to fulfill further social other methods there seems no ceremonial
functions. attachment. It is very interesting to note that among
these primitive people, marriage by capture
The Savara follow strict endogamy at community involving the elements of surprise and brute – force
level. One does not marry outside the community. is absent.
The community endogamy is commonly approved
and sanctioned by the Savara society, the breach of Economic considerations are mainly responsible
which is considered the breach of law. The for the less number of marriages through
sanctions may range from excommunication from negotiations and the large number of marriages by
tribe or from village, if the village is homogenous elopement as the former is very costly involving
Savara village. The tribal council or tribal head considerable expenditure on gifts, liquor etc., to
impose sanctions and order tribesmen not to talk, would be father-in-law and the ensuing series of
exchange things, maintain relations etc., with the feasts during the marriage ritual while in the later
excommunicators, breach of which face several case besides bride-price, liquor is served only on
sanctions. one occasion, thus involving less expenditure.

In marriage, endogamy is allowed at village and 11. LIFE CYCLE CEREMONIES:

community level but not at lineage/gotra/surname
level. Exogamy is allowed at village level, gotra At every stage of life from birth and infancy,
level, clan level and surname level but exogamy is through adolescence, youth and married stage, to
strictly restricted at community level. Any breach death an individual is considered to pass through a
of the above marriage rules may lead to sanctions critical interaction period in his group life requiring
by society head. some super human powers to cope up with the life
in the new social environment. Like his advanced
Serial monogamy is practiced by Savara and limits neighbor the tribal also tries to tie over these crisis
themselves to one wife at a place. In case of periods and plans to gain the necessary strength to
divorce or death of wife, a Savara marries again face the new situation by enlisting the help of
and again, and remains to be monogamous. supernatural powers through performance of ritual
Polygyny exists in two specialized variations, ceremonies, magical rites and by observing certain
sororal polygyny and non-sororal polygyny. In taboos in a manner benefitting the situation.
sororal polygyny the multiple wives of Savara are Further, these crisis periods are believed to be
sisters. In non-sororal polygyny the multiple wives plastic times during which a man is more
of a Savara are not sisters. susceptible to evil influences of malignant with
confidence and toward off the evil spirits, the
In the sororal polygyny form of marriage the wife various religious and magical practices have been
of Savara encourages him to marry her sister(s) in evolved.
order to avoid the division of parental property.
This arrangement is to avoid unnecessary clashes The Savara perform many a ceremony and magical
between sisters regarding the property. But this rite to protect the man at every from birth to death

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and even after death to facilitate the fixing up of psychotherapy as exemplified in performance of
the departed soul in the neither world of spirits and the act of coconut –breaking intended to ensure
tutelary’s. Even though Savara understand the easy delivery. In the psychological approach, the
relationship between conception and sexual inter – medicine-man stands out –side the delivery. In the
course, still they believe that human effort should psychological approach, the medicine – man stands
also be sufficiently strengthened by the blessings of out –side the delivery enclosure and holds a
gods for the proper procreation of the race. coconut in his hand and chants some hymns. He
orders loudly (so that the woman in difficult labour
The Savara generally do not indulge in sexual inter may hear him) that the woman should deliver the
– course during night time as they believe that child as soon as he breaks the coconut. He
female organs sleep during night times. The forest purposefully delays the breaking of the coconut on
is preferred to the house for sexual inter – course the pretext of counting numbers 1,2,3 and then
during day time. When a couple is engaged in breaks the coconut. As soon as the coconut is
sexual activity in the forest two wooden poles or broken the woman usually delivers the baby.
three branches are placed “x” shape indicating to
others nobody should disturb them by going that If the ejection of the after – birth is delayed, the
way. But now – a- days the practice is on the wane ‘Buyya’ or the ‘kudan’ is again approached. The
and many of them are preferring night times for ‘kudan’ gives the root of ‘Vuttaren’ ( acharanthes
sexual intercourse in their own houses. aspera ) plant and it is kept in the mouth of the
woman thrice with the belief that the after – birth
A woman is considered to have conceived when may come out without any delay. The ‘kudanboi’
she misses her menstrual cycles (aganathi). Sexual cuts the umbilical cord with the help of a knife or
intercourse is continued till the third or fourth an arrow – head (arm) and the placenta is buried at
month of pregnancy. Thereafter, it is prohibited as the outskirts of the village in dung pit.
it is considered to be injurious to the health of the
pregnant woman and the fetus. Neither food taboos Their hand to mouth living makes it imperative for
nor work taboos are imposed on the pregnant every family member to work in the field or forest
woman but for restraining her from doing heavy whatever may be their physical condition.
manual labour. But a pregnant woman invariably Sometimes a pregnant women working in a field
avoids burial grounds and other places of spirit may deliver the child in the “podu” field or in the
haunting to escape the haunting of evil spirits and forest. At such times, if there is no other woman to
the consequent abortion or still –birth. For help her, she herself cuts the umbilical cord with a
suspected abortion magico – medicinal treatment is broken piece of pot and brings the baby home.
given by the “kudan or kudanboi”. Immediately after delivery both mother and child
are given hot water bath. On the day of delivery the
Delivery is always conducted outside the main mother is taken hot cooked rice without any curry.
house, either in the verandah or in the cattle shed. After having her meals, the mother starts sucking
An enclosure is constructed by closing all the sides the neonate. The hot food served is believed to
of the verandha or the cattle shed to provide increase the milk yield with castor oil and gives hot
privacy for conducting delivery. As soon as the touch to clear her bowels, everyday for a week or
expectant mother feels labour pains, she comes out ten days from the day of delivery.
of the house sits on a stone in the delivery
enclosure, holding a strong rope or a rope sling that After delivery a women is considered to be under
is hanging from the roof of the verandah with her birth – pollution, the period of which usually
legs stretched wide apart . The ‘kudanboi’, or, or extends to 9 days or until the “desari” fixes the day
any other elderly woman of the village conducts of purification bath. Until that time the woman is
the delivery. Generally on such occasion, all the not allowed to touch anything in the house. The
men folk of the village are asked to leave the female child and fifthday in the case of male child,
village except on or two men who stand at distance during which periods she continues to stay in the
in order to ready to help in case of an emergency . enclosure in the verandah. Afterwards the women
In case of difficult labour, one of the male allowed to entire the house. But she should not
members is sent to the ‘ kudan’ or ‘ Buyya’ to fetch touch any of the household articles. She is
some medicine. If a woman is suffering from permitted to sleep on a cot confined to one corner
difficult labors either the ‘kudanboi’ or any elderly of the house.
woman inserts a kind of leaf in the hair of the
suffering woman. It is claimed that as soon as the The desari fixes the auspicious day for giving the
leaf is kept in the hair of the woman, delivery lactating mother the purification bath and
occurs without any further difficulty. It is very ceremonially introducing her to the household
interesting to note that the Savara expertise in work for the first time after delivery which usually

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falls on the 9th day of delivery. On the fixed day, Since a woman does not change her birinda after
the ‘ kudanboi’ shaves the child head. The woman marriage as it happens in other tribal societies
collects all her clothes and goes to the stream. After where the woman adopts the clan or gotra of her
thoroughly cleaning her body, she washes the husband’s family. Marriages are possible between a
clothes and returns home. She keeps the neonate man and woman of his maternal side. But the
before the ‘lingor’ figure drawn on the wall, Savara are not quite fond of arranging marriage
sprinkles turmeric rice and bows before it. From with maternal uncle’s daughter. Only those who
then onwards she is free to use all the household fail to arrange girls for their sons elsewhere select
possessions and move about the house any one of maternal cross-cousins for marriage
restriction. (mother’s brother’s daughter). The father’s sister
being a member of the same birinda there is little
Savara custom of name giving is devoid of scope for marriage with her children.
elaborate ritual. But for a few villages there is no
special ceremony for name giving in general. The Savara cremate their dead but persons dying of
Usually the child is named after the day on which it cholera, smallpox and snake bite are buried. As
is born. The name of the child end with “a” if it is cremation is a family function birinda members
male child and “I” if it is a female child. participate in it. Some members collect wood for
the pyre and the girls who are trained to act as
However, in some instances ancestral spirits are assistants in funeral rites fetch water and prepare
believed to disagree with name given neonate. This turmeric paste,. Then, the corpse is carried to the
is expressed in the loud and continuous crying of cremation ground in a procession accompanied by
the child after naming it. In spite of mother’s a musical band. The next day they visit the
cozying, if the child continues to cry it is believed cremation ground to examine the ashes with a view
that one of their ancestors is reborn and satisfied to find the sign of the cause of death. In the same
with the name given to the child as it should be day evening a fowl is killed in the cremation
named after the reborn ancestor. ground and cooked with rice which is shared by the
members of the village. Then after a year or two
To identify the particular ancestor reborn in their the Guar ceremony is performed. On this occasion,
family, the ‘kudan’ is approached with a ‘solla’ of Menhirs are planted and large number of buffaloes
rice and a small pot of liquor. The ‘kudan’ keeps is sacrificed. This is generally followed by three
the rice in a winnowing fan and starts uttering some successive Karya ceremonies in every second or
hymns and falls into a trance. In the trance the third year to commemorate and to honour the deads
‘kudan’ loudly utters the name of the ancestor of that particular period.
reborn. He also gives out the demands of the
ancestor spirit which invariably includes a goat or 12. ECONOMY:
other animal sacrifice.
Savara are the best terraced cultivators.
The Savara marriage is not an elaborate affair. It is Agriculture, especially podu or shifting cultivation
rather queer that the who spend most of their is the mainstay of the Savara. Terraced cultivation
resources in observing a chain of festivals and is mainly practiced by those living along the
ceremonies celebrate their marriage in a very foothill areas of Palakonda hills or near the plains
simple way. There are various forms of marriage of hill streams. Hunting and gathering, forest
for acquiring mates. To mention a few of them are, labour, collection and sale of minor forest produce
marriage by service. Of all these types, marriage by are other important sources of livelihood.
arrangement is most common and held prestigious
in the society as the Savara have negotiation is Their economy is still largely subsistence oriented
made between two parties having equal economic and production is for self-consumption rather than
and social status. For a son of gomang (secular for the market. Their method of agriculture is
headman) another gomang’s daughter may be terraced cultivation and they also called shifting
arranged and a royat (commoner) may not venture cultivation as podu (slash and burn or swidden
to propose for a gomang’s daughter. cultivation), which is supplemented by hunting and
gathering. The technology is still simpler, as
The Savara do not observe village exogamy except swiddening does not need any sophisticated
where the village is inhabited by the members of technological input.
one birinda. In big villages having more than one
birinda marriage are often arranged within the The major crops raised by Savara are paddy and
village. cashew. Savara also raise pulses like red gram
(kandhulu), green gram (pesalu); vegetables like

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brinjal (vanga), chillies (mirupa) etc., Although finalised, next step would be to get the agricultural
there is hunting and gathering in Savara society, the implements like barisim, gitti, todu, goddali,
bulk of their diet comes from foods that are pandre kola, nagali, nolla etc., ready. Most of these
cultivated. Perhaps 90% or more of the diet tools have two components; a wooden part and an
consists of domesticated rather than wild foods. iron part. The wooden part consists of a handle and
Paddy is by far the most important food in the diet. it is prepared by the Savara themselves. The iron
component is prepared by Panodu., a Jatapu crafts
The forest on the hills is considered as a communal man.
property. Unilateral decisions in the selection of
plots for podu cultivation are not approved. The Thus there requires a lot of pain to raise and
members make a collective decision with regard to maintain a podu plot. Hence shifting cultivation
selection of podu lands. The sites for Podu are become less important and tendency towards podu
selected according to a number of criteria, some is decreasing day by day in Savara society. The
ecological and some social. With regard to main problem of shifting cultivation is its
ecological criteria, they restrict site selection by irrigation. It is not possible to irrigate the podu
excluding certain kinds of land as agriculturally not plots; hence one has to depend on rainfall to raise
fit for Podu. Excluded is the land that is too rocky the successful crops. Failure in rainfall results in
or too steep. Of land that is suitable, the Savara failure of crops. So Savara prefer settled cultivable
prefer, sites covered by well developed forest land near hill streams than podu cultivation.
growth. Vegetation serves them as an index of the
fertility of site. The thicker the forest vegetation of Savara raise pulses, pineapple, turmeric and grams
an area, the more years it can be kept under in podu land. The settled cultivable plots near hill
cultivation and the larger its yields But at the same streams gets water from it. Thus irrigated stretches
time, the hillocks which include too many huge of cultivable land increases the crop yield per
hardwood trees which would require too great an season than podu cultivation.
amount of labour to cut, is also not preferred by
them. Apart from cultivation, hunting and gathering plays
an important role in Savara society by
Some other factors which influence the choice of supplementing them with meat protein. Savara hunt
the site for podu cultivation are, its distance from wild sheep, wild goat, wild boar, rabbits, fowls,
the village and the distance between it and other birds etc., in the nearby hilly forests. Of late due to
fields. The selection of sites adjacent to each other deforestation and restrictions on human activities in
facilitates one to maintain close watch on his fields. reserve forest areas the game of hunting is
Another very important feature is, even if a site is gradually discouraged.
considered favourable for podu cultivation, they do
not go for podu cultivation unless at least two other Traditionally, Savara use common bow and arrow
households of the village are willing to join them. to hunt animals. Nowadays they are using guns,
It is strongly stated: "Whether good or bad, we pistols etc., to hunt the speed game. Usually during
should do it in the company" . This requires prior summer months i.e., between April and June,
consultations and group decisions. Savara spent most of their time in collecting forest
produce and food gathering. The minor forest
Further, the selection of more than one site depends produce gathered include adda leaves for leaf
upon the numerical composition of the households. plates; yams like adavi vaimu, savadi dhumpa,
The Savara consider that it is not possible to donda dhumpa; and other produce such as sheekai,
undertake podu cultivation at more than one site soapnuts, hill brooms, tamarind and honey. They
when the numerical size is less than five members. also collect mango, jack fruit, citrus fruits, cashew
This is because; the cultivation of each plot of land fruits, etc., from the forest.
(about one and half acre) requires the services of at
least three adult members to work as a unit.
13. ECONOMIC ORGANISATION:
Before the start of activities related to Podu
cultivation the heads of all households (or a “Economic organization, a type of social action
representative of the household) formally assemble involves the combination of various kinds of
(as in case of ChadhunuGuda) or informally human services with one another and with goods in
discuss (as in case of AppannaGuda) to take such a way that serve the given ends.” (Raymond
collective decisions. The site for Podu cultivation, firth, 1952). In brief, it can be said that the concept
the extent of area, etc., are all decided to the and meaning of economic system with special
maximum satisfaction of all. Once the decisions reference to the tribal may be defined that
regarding the sites of Podu cultivation, are

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economic system may have two important things, Specialization based on specially acquired specific
viz., the mode and structure of production and its technical abilities is absent. However, division of
relations, and the process of distribution existing labour based on factors other than specialization,
and operating in a given socio-political setup. like sex, is widely present. Male ploughs the field,
The mode of production implies technique and sow the seeds and collects the harvested crop.
organization of economic activities relating to Female remove the weeds and harvest the yield.
production. The structure of production means Children has limited role in agricultural activities.
social-relations in the performance of production They help their parents in field. This is the
activities and in the process of distribution between mechanism to make the children learn about the
different social groups of the tribal societies. agricultural activities. In general, children help
The mode of production in Savara economy is their mother’s in weeding the crops.
traditional, indigenous and culturally predominant.
The Savara work hard to get their livelihood to The notion of property is closely related to display
meet the basic needs of life as well as the social and expenditure of wealth rather than to its
needs like the materials for rites-de-passage (life accumulation. Material goods, movable and
cycle ceremonies), through their economic immovable may be referred to as property and this
performances. Herskovits has rightly said that an entails the existence of some rules of inheritance.
individual operating as a member of his society in Both types of ownership, collective and individual
terms of the culture of his group is the economic are known to Savara.
unit.
There is an absence of technological aids in a The structure of the Savara economy is generally
Savara economy which results in inefficient, based on forest (Eastern Ghats forest) and hill
inadequate or even wasteful exploitation of nature. streams. The simple technology and absence of
Consequently, the bare minimum necessary for technological aids is the other structural feature of
sustenance is raised with great difficulty. An the Savara economy. At the socio-economic and
economic surplus is rare in Savara community. cultural level the family is a unit of both production
Even though they get surplus yields they never sell and consumption. The community itself acts like a
it to the money market but they store it for future co-operative unit and the Savara are economically
purpose. independent. The Savara economy has the close
The economic relations among the Savara are relationship between their economic life and the
mostly based on exchange. Money as a store and natural environment or habitat which is usually the
measurement of value and medium of exchange is forest. Besides the forest, the existing natural
not used widely. Institutions like banking and environment had molded their economy to a great
credit are used only in dealing with non-tribal extent.
groups which depends upon the nature and
frequency of contacts with them. They take loans Production, Consumption and Distribution :
from non-tribal and banks in order to raise their
crops. They repay the loan amount after the The family in the Savara economy is the unit of
successful harvest of the yield. Nowadays the production. Thus, the mode of production of Savara
private money lenders or non-tribal are investing people is styled ‘familial’ or ‘domestic’. All the
the money on crops and taking shares from the members of the family whether husband or wife,
yield. parents or children, together form the production
unit. The allocation of labour, and decisions for
The profit motive in economic dealings is generally food quests are taken at the family level. They
absent. The role of an incentive is fulfilled by a usually produce what they actually need. Yet, it
sense of mutual obligation, sharing and solidarity. never means that the familial group is self-
Co-operative and collective endeavor is a strongly sufficient. They get the co-operation of individuals
developed feature of Savara economy. The rate of of other households too.
innovation, internal or induced, is very low and
consequently they are stables and make hardly any The family is constituted for production by
progress. possession of the necessary tools such as axe, weed
remover, knives, sickle, plough etc., which are
The regular market as an institution along with its made indigenously. The children go out in the
conditions of market like perfect competition and jungle with their cattle herd and some of them
monopoly is absent. What comes nearest to it is the accompany their mother and sister to help in
weekly market (shandy/santha) or festival and weeding the crops or collection of fire wood. Thus,
seasonal meets. besides the elderly persons the youth form the axis
of domestic production. They also take part in their
agricultural production i.e., preparing the fields,

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sowing, harvesting or in forest operation like activities in the tribal region. The impact of weekly
collection of minor forest produce, hunting etc. market on the traditional life of Savara too has
shown an attitude of accepting innovations. The
The pattern of labour in the Savara society is also market is the most powerful channel of
based on family level. However, some Savara who communication in the tribal region. In Savara
are comparatively rich and have large fields, the society, monetary economy has now percolated
labour is borrowed from their village or from through the market only. Also the weekly market
adjacent villages. They are paid with daily wages. has obtained a place in the social organization of
However, the division of labour is usually sex-wise the Savara. It has proved that the weekly market is
as women are considered physically weak by the the best place of meeting and interacting together.
men folk. So women are paid less wage then men
i.e., approximately Rs.90 per day per woman and Weekly markets in Savara society also function as
Rs.140 per day per man. Men are paid with double an agent of culture change. The weekly market is a
the amount than women. centre which brings together a number of
communities like the agriculturist Jatapu, the
So far the consumption is concerned; the Savara hunters and the food gatherers, occupational caste
economy reveals the nature of democratic system at people such as potters, black smith, fishermen and
the family level. The forest produce like the roots many other non-tribal together. Tribal markets are
and fruits, or the hunting games if the animals have also places where disputes of tribal villages are
been hunted jointly by the villagers together, those discussed and settled. Marriage negotiations are
are shared equally. However, the main hunters or also done in the periodical tribal/weekly markets.
the village-chief are given sometimes more shares.
But, usually the democratic pattern of consumption Of late, the government development agencies have
is reflected in the Savara economy. also started to exhibit their development
programmes such as posters of NREGS, Sarva
In distribution, they follow market economy (not a Siksha Abhiyan, Pulse Polio Immunization etc.,
true market economy) i.e., they sell their product during weekly markets.
for cash. Except for turmeric, cashew and tamarind
Savara never sell any product. They store the 14. POLITICAL ORGANISATION:
surplus paddy, pulses, grams etc., for future
purpose in order to overcome the shortage periods. The Savara have a traditional political organization
They treat turmeric, cashew and pineapple as at each village and region, having hereditary post
commercial crop and sell the entire produce in the of Gomango (secular head), Buyya (religious
money markets. There is no sign of prevalence of head), Mondal, Raito and Barik (messenger)
barter system in Savara. discharging the function of a tradition court of law,
by hearing both sides and awarding punishments.
The concept of generalized reciprocity is well However, the Savara in Seethampeta have adopted
developed in Savara. General reciprocity includes Christianity in large numbers and therefore the
in itself the assistance given and taken or returns, traditional economy, polity and religion is at a
sharing hospitality, gifts-taken, mutual aid and cross road. Due to its impact, they have adopted
generosity. The expectation of reciprocity is left in- modern ways of life by joining Govt. and Non-
definite, unspecified as to qualities, quantity and Govt. services.
time. Values of return depend on the donor and the
recipient. Savara law is based on clan’s organization. It has
territorial limitation. Savara law is based on
Tribal market and Trade : customary law and usages. A strong sense of
collectivism prevails in their law. The oath and
In addition to the system of exchange and ordeal are main mode of evidence. Punishment is
reciprocity, the Savara people have their tribal awarded in the shape of fine, compensation to the
market in their respective areas. Among Savara aggrieved party, communal feasts etc., depending
inhabited area no permanent markets exist except upon the seriousness of the crime and the capability
for weekly markets locally known as santha of the person concerned.
(Shandies). The Savara villages falling in a radius
of 5-10 km have separate weekly markets which The collected fine is usually spent in giving a
play an important role in the life of Savara people. communal feast or as an offering to the
supernatural power for appeasing them. The most
The tribal market brings together people from serious punishment among the Savara is
different ethnic groups not only for economic excommunication from tribe or village.
transaction but also for secular and religious

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day among the Savara, the living conduct dialogues

The concept behind punishment among the Savara with the dead. A shaman, usually a woman, serves
society is also remarkable. They believe that the as an intermediary between the two worlds. During
punishments are to compensate the aggrieved, to a trance, her soul is said to climb down terrifying
purify the offenders and to re-admit the guilty precipices to the underworld, leaving her body for
person after paying a fine or after hosting a feast. the dead to use as their vehicle for communication.
Savara believe that a breach of norm is likely to One by one the spirits speak through her mouth.
affect the whole society. It is also believed that the Mourners crowd around the shaman, arguing
punishment, awarded to the accused by the village vehemently with the dead, laughing at their jokes,
council, is actually by the supernatural power. or weeping at their accusations.

The government of Andhra Pradesh has clubbed To prepare her for the important position of
few villages together and formed a statutory village intermediary, a future shaman is visited in
panchayat, the president and members of which are childhood dreams by helper spirits, who are said to
elected by all the tribal in these villages through turn her soul into a monkey to enable her to
secret ballot. The panchayat looks after general clamber down to the underworld. Later, the Savara
administration and the developmental works of the believe, she learns to make this journey at will
village. during a trance. She marries a helper spirit, bears
spirit children, and makes a second home in the
The post of village panchayat president, mandal underworld, which she visits every time she dreams
president, member of the legislative assembly, zilla or goes into a trance.
praja parishad president in this area are reserved for According to Savara thinking, death is not the end
scheduled tribes. Few Savaras are elected as village of existence, but merely another phase. After death
panchayat presidents. one becomes a powerful spirit with contradictory
motives. On the one hand, the dead nourish their
15. RELIGION: living descendants by infusing their growing crops
with their own "soul force." In aggressive moods,
The Savara are highly religious with each and however, they may "eat" their relatives' souls and
every natural phenomenon attributed to the works cause in them the same illness to which the
of some Gods, deities or spirits. Therefore, the deceased succumbed.
customary law, values, norms are highly respected
by all members of the society for the fear of At funerals and in divinations to diagnose the cause
inviting personal or communal harms. The social of illness, people stage dialogues to interrogate the
control mechanism revolves around the religious dead about where they are--the landscape, the sky,
beliefs, which are very strong. or the underworld. A spirit that is trying to harm
The tribal of Seethampeta observe a string of the living is presumed to be in a bad place. The
festivals. Some are closed affairs, relating to a birth relatives will then try to persuade it to move or
or death within the family or daughter attaining offer a sacrificial animal as a substitute for the sick
puberty. Others relate to sowing or harvest time person under attack.
and these involve the entire community. Mostly, a
festival is an occasion for a good of Mahua liquor The Savara believe in and fear the existence of
or handia liquor, a game roasted on the spirit and a many supernatural powers. To ensure their
night of song and dance and reveling. But that is protection and success of operations, various
not the end. There is an animal sacrifice too for the deities are propitiated. These deities and
deities and spirits must be appeased first, supernatural powers are classified into two forms
particularly the malevolent ones so that they will namely Benevolent and Malevolent. Benevolent
not face drought or sickness of land. deities are revered and propitiated to secure their
sustained blessings. Malevolent deities are feared
However, in the last two or more decades many of and offered bloody sacrifices to escape their wrath.
the traditional Savara beliefs have been superseded
by Christianity that was introduced by Sickness, ill luck and other difficulties are
missionaries. In many areas the shamanic and attributed to the work of angered malevolent
animist beliefs are distant memories, and in some deities. Diagnosis and treatment of sickness involve
areas, particularly around SeedhiGuda the a series of magico-religious practices besides
graveyards of the ancestors have been destroyed. administering herbal medicine. The native doctor is
There is nowadays a move by Hindu groups to known as vejju.Savara firmly believe that planetary
convert the Savara to Hinduism. This conflict has ill effects and witchcraft cause diseases and death.
given rise to great tension in the area. Almost every Whenever a person falls ill a physician or a

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magician is summoned, the reason for the illness is

elicited, and remedial measures are taken. Savara paintings today
Savara Art / Paintings: Idital-Savara Painting:

Also the Savara tribal are noted for their paintings. Their diversity, detail and unique style have given
Among the various tribes of Eastern Ghats, the ikons an 'in-vogue-appeal' and increasing
Savara are known to have the best developed popularity in recent years. The influence of markets
aesthetic sense. The tribal are known to decorate and increasing awareness about the other’s forms
the walls of their home with paintings depicting have led to both Saura and Warli paintings picking
birds and animals, men on hunting trails, their up details of technique and style from the other.[1]
lifestyle, fauna etc. One of the integral elements of They have also been popularised in recent times as
Savara paintings are the geometrical shapes that are an avenue for skill and job creation[4] and have
used to create bold borders for the center-piece that increasingly been used to decorate items like T-
is invariably drawn in fine lines. They are also shirts, greeting cards, stationery and items of
known for their handloom products and particularly clothing.
T-Shirts made by the Savara with a type of Warli
painting done on them are very highly appreciated. 16. References:
Comparison with Warli paintings: 1. Personal interviews of savara population.
2. Participation observation in community
Warli painting from Thane district 3. Census 2011
Saura paintings have a striking visual semblance to 4. Ministry of sc & st, govt of India.
Warli art and both use clear geometric frames for
their construction but they differ in both their style
and treatment of subjects. In Saura paintings, a
fish-net approach - of painting from the border
inwards - is used while this not the case with Warli
paintings.[1] Although both are examples of tribal
pictographs that employ stick figures, Warli
paintings use conjoint triangles to depict the human
body while the figures are not as sharply delineated
in Saura paintings. Also, unlike the Warli paintings
where male and female icons are clearly
distinguishable, in Saura art there is no such
physical differentiation.[5]

Savara paintings fig (1) Savara Paintings fig (2)

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 998