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The Bhottada (also known as Dhotada, Bhotra, Bhatra, Bhattara, Bhotora, Bhatara) is an ethnic group found mainly in many districts of Odisha and Chhattisgarh. The 2011 census showed their population to be around 450,771. They are classified as a Scheduled Tribe by the Indian government.

Etymology and origins

The name Bhottada is derived from the words Bhu meaning earth and Tara, meaning chase. It is said that they migrated from Bastar.

Subdivisions

They have a number of exogamous totemistic clans or gotras named after different animals such as tortoise, tiger, cobra, monkey, dog, lizard, goat, etc. The clan members who are of a particular animal totem respect the same animals.

The clans has agnatic lineages formed as local descent groups who live close to each other in villages.

The tribe is divided into two divisions called Bada and Sana. Badas are higher in social hierarchy, They claim to be of purer descent. The divisions are endogamous however nowadays intermarriage takes place between them.

Culture

Marriage by negotiation is called Bibha. It is considered ideal and prestigious. It involves elaborate process and is expensive. Other ways of acquiring mates such as by elopement, by capture, by service are practised. Cross-cousin marriage, junior levirate and sororate, divorce and remarriage are permitted on reasonable grounds.

They bury their dead. They worship Hindu deities and their own pantheon includes Budhi Thakurani, Bhairabi Budhi, Pardesi, Basumata, Banadurga, etc. Their chief festivals are Chait Parab, Akhiturti, Nua Khiaand Dussera. The traditional chief of the village is the Naik. Assisted by Chalan, Pujari and Gonda, he handles the community affairs. At the regional level a group of villages constitute a Desh headed by Bhat Naik and supported by Panigrahi and Desia Gonda who mitigate inter-village disputes.

See also

• Tribes of India

References

1. ^ "Census of India Website : Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India". www.censusindia.gov.in. Government of India. Archived from the original on 7 September 2015. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
2. Mhaiske, V.M.; Patil, V.K.; Narkhede, S.S. (2016). Forest Tribology And Anthropology. SCIENTIFIC PUBLISHER (IND. p. 167. ISBN 978-93-86102-08-9. Retrieved 2020-06-23.
3. ^ scstrti, scstrti. "Bhottada". Home. Retrieved 2020-06-23.
4. Singh, H.D. (1996). 543 faces of India: guide to 543 parliamentary constituencies. Newmen Publishers. p. 198. ISBN 9788190066907. Retrieved 2020-06-23.

• Scheduled Tribes of India
• Social groups of Odisha
• Scheduled Tribes of Odisha
• Indian castes
• Ethnic groups in India
• Ethnic groups in South Asia