Picture of a Munda

Article written by London swaminathan

 

Date: 22 June 2016

 

Post No. 2914

 

Time uploaded in London :– 17-11

 

( Pictures are taken from various sources; thanks)

 

DON’T REBLOG IT AT LEAST FOR A WEEK!  DON’T USE THE PICTURES; THEY ARE COPYRIGHTED BY SOMEONE.

 

 

(for old articles go to tamilandvedas.com OR swamiindology.blogspot.com)

 

 

Please read the first and second parts published yesterday and day before yesterday, where there is a detailed introduction.

 

Munda Tribe

 

Munda tribe is found in Chota Nagpur area. The name Munda is of Sanskrit origin. Foreigners classified them as Dravidians but there is no Dravidian or Aryan element in them. They are typical Hindus. Munda means headman of a village.. Mundas themselves use this word as titular or functional designation.

This is similar to Santals calling themselves Manijhi, the Bhumij- Sardaar and the Khambu  of the Darjeeling hills Jimdaar.

 

The general name Kol, which is applied both to Mundas and Oraons mean a pig killer according to Herr Jellinghaus. Another interpretation is that it is similar to horo of Mundas,which means man.

 

Origin of Man

The Munda myth of the making of mankind tells how the self existent primeval deities Ote Boram and Sing Bonga created a boy and a girl and put them together in a cave  to people the world. The innocent boy and girl did no what to do, but when they dank rice beer  their passions were inflamed . later their number reached 12 male and 12 female. Singa Bonga placed before them different kinds of food and the fate of their descendants were decided y their choice.

 

The first and second pairs the flesh of bullocks and buffaloes and they originated the Kols; the next took of the vegetables only and are the progenitors of the Braahmans and Chatris (Brahmans and Kshatriyas); others took goat and fish, and from them are the Sudras. One pair took shell fish and became Bhuiyas; two pairs became pigs and they became Santals. One pair got nothing, seeing which the first pairs gave them of their superfluity; and from the pair thus provided spring the Ghasis, who toil not, but live by preying on others.

Source: People of India by Sir Herbert Hope Risley, 1915 (Second Edition)

 

My comments:

Even the Mundas accept that mankind originated from one ancestor. They said Brahmins and other castes appeared at the same time. They believed in caste divisions; they believed Brahmins are pure vegetarians. No one could have put all these into their mouths. The God they mentionas Ote Boram is Adhi Brahma. Hindus believe that Brahma created the world.

 

The Mundas are divided into 13 sub-tribes such as Kharia- Munda, Mahili- Munda, Oraon- Munda, Bhunihar – Munda, Manki – Munda. Each one has a totem symbol and tey won eat the flesh of that particular symbol/animal.

Gotra System

Hindus, particularly Brahmins, wont marry in the same Gotra. Mundas also followed the Gotra system a Munda will not marry a woman of his own sect/sub tribe. The gotra/clan name goes by the father’s side. It is same with the Brahmins even today.

 

Adult marriage is still in fashion and sexual intercourse before the marriage is tacitly recognized, but in all respectable families matches

Are made by the parents, and the parties have very little to say in this matter. It is same in Brahmins families until today. Only when they migrate to foreign countries Brahmin children become uncontrollable. Because the male-female ratio gap is wide parents also keep quiet.

 

Bride price varies (Bride price is called Sridhanam in Hindu families. At one time it reversed and given to Bridegroom; now it is the bride who gets it again. Brides are in shortage.

Sindurdhan or the searing of vermillion on the bride’s forehead by the bridegroom and on the bridegrooms forehead by the bride is the essential and binding portion. This is also part of Hindu marriages. Only married Brahmin ladies wear sindhur on the parting of their hair.

 

The practice of marrying the bride to a Mahua tree (Bassia latifolia) and the bridegroom to a mango tree seems now to have been abandoned.

Widows may marry again by the ritual known as sagaai in which the Sindur dhan is performed with the left hand; this is also typical Hindu custom. Hindus will do only unusual or inferior things with their left hands .Divorce is allowed at the instance  of either party.

Worship of  Sun God

At the head of the Munda religion stands Sing Bonga, the sun, a beneficient but inactive deity, who concerns himself but little with human affairs and leaves the details of the executive government of the world to the gods in charge of particular branches or departments of nature.. he may be invoked to avert diseases. White goats or white cocks are offered to him.

Hindus worship sun every day by doing Surya Namaskar. A Sanskrit proverb says Get Health from the Sun. Brahmin Hindus worship sun thrice a day through water oblations.

 

Next in rank to Sing Bonga comes Buru Bonga or Marang Buru, also known as Paat Sarnaa, a mountain god, whose visible habitation is usually the highest hill in the neighborhood. This is also typical Hindu belief. Hindus worship all mountains in particular The Golden Meru and The Silvery Kailash I the Himalayas. Brahmins say the name of Meru every day to mention the direction. They always say whether they are south of Meru or North of Meru in their daily rituals.. Mundas sacrifice animals at the top of a rock in Lodhma. Marang Buru is prayed for rains. He is offered a buffalo during droughts. Ikir Bonga is he god of tanks and lakes. Garhaera is the Goddess of rivers, streams and springs.

 

Chandor, the moon is worshipped by women. This is also typical Hindu belief. She is the wife of Sun God.

 

Since they eat meat they sacrifice animals to all their Gods and Goddesses. All their beliefs are similar to Hindus. There is no Aryan or Dravidian as claimed by the divisive foreigners.

 

All their festivals are also based on seasons like the Hindus.

Funeral ceremonies are like that of the Hols. Munda villages fly a particular flag in villages during the festivals. This is also very similar to Hindu Temples Dwaja Arohan practiced even today in South Indian Temples.

 

Foreigners concocted theories about the tribes are exploded by the study of all the hill tribes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

–subham–