The Samanthas

     In the economic development of mankind, the cultivation of food crops
      occurred only some ten thousand years ago. This was brought about by   women
      through the invention of a type of horticulture which is still common
      among some tribal societies all over the world. This archaic form of
      agriculture known as slash and burn cultivation, is a way of subsistence
      for many aboriginal hillmen living in India. Though the modern, commercial
      exploitation of forests has restricted the areas available to the native
      tribesmen, there remain several tribal societies representing various
      modes of archaic farming which followed in time that of hunters and
      gatherers.
      The Samanthas or the Khonds of Visakhapatnam agency are one of the few
      traditional horticultural communities living in the Eastern Ghats of
      Andhra Pradesh and Orissa. They speak a language called "Kuvi", which is
      blended with Telugu in Andhra Pradesh.
      Podu – the Slash and burn cultivation - is the major livelihood for the
      Samanthas. They clear the jungle on hill slopes, burn the trees and grow
      the crops in the ashes.
       In the past, they used to cultivate a plot for about six or seven years
      and leave the land fallow for almost ten years, by shifting the
      cultivation to a new hill slope. This allowed the soil fertility of the
      old plot to be regenerated along with the growth of the forest. But in
      recent times the fallow period has been reduced to two or three years due
      to the restrictions on slash and burn cultivation and the growing
      population pressure over the land. The Samanthas perceive certain
      advantages in slash and burn cultivation over settled cultivation. The
      management of podu cultivation is simple and does not require inputs like
      bullocks, agricultural implements and manure. All that is required is a
      hoe and human labour. Though the crop output from the point of economics
      is poor, according to the cultivators themselves it is in proportion to
      their input. They have neither profit motive nor do they calculate the
      cost of their labour input. Whatever output they get they are satisfied.
      Slash and burn cultivation is solely meant for their own survival.
       The most remarkable feature of podu cultivation is that almost all
      varieties of cereals and vegetables are grown in one plot which is
      impossible in the case of settled cultivation.
      The Samanthas have a strong sense of community living. Every activity of
      the village is carried out by all the families working in close
      co-operation with each other.
       Slash and burn cultivation is not only a subsistence activity, but also a
      ritual and a religious activity for the Samanthas. Village festivals are
      observed collectively by the whole village and every household contributes
      its share, in accordance with the decisions arrived at by the village
      elders at a meeting. Most of the festivals are connected with either the
      agricultural activities or the collection of minor forest produce.
       In February, during the seed festival known as "Biccha Parbu", the
      Samanthas worship the village Godess "Jakiri Penu" by offering animal
      sacrifices.
      The Samanthas believe that sowing seeds mixed with the sacrificial blood
      will impress the fertile powers of Nature. It is only after this ceremony,
      that the Samanthas sow seeds in their fields. In addition to podu, a few
      Samanthas also cultivate flat fields. When the soil gets moist they plough
      the field twice or thrice and then they broadcast the seed. They mainly
      grow dry paddy, ragi, sama and oliselu in these fields.
       Wherever feasible the Samanthas have also been practicing terrace
      cultivation for a long time. Terrace fields are solely for the purpose of
      growing wet paddy. Wherever there is a possibility to divert a small
      stream, a wall with stones is built and the sloped ground is levelled.
      Similarly, a number of plots are levelled below one another, so that the
      water flows from the higher fields to the lower ones.
      Seedbeds of wet paddy are raised in the month of May. In early July, the
      plots are ploughed twice and the water is allowed to stagnate in the plots
      for a week. Then, after ploughing again, the paddy seedlings are taken out
      from the seedbeds and are transplanted in the plots.
       Every family also cultivates garden crops like chilies, tobacco and
      vegetables in a small piece of land near the village. Women and children
      collect minor forest produce of various types, such as edible and herbal
      roots, tubers and creepers, leaves and fruits. The Samanthas sell most of
      these products at the weekly shandies and buy commodities like kerosene,
      oil, salt, ornaments and clothing. Traditionally, the shandies have
      provided the people with an opportunity to barter their surplus produce.
      The distribution system earlier was limited to the tribal communities in
      the shandies of this area. But today, these market places have become the
      centres for commercial exploitation of the tribals by the traders from the
      plains. The tribal sellers are always found to be the losers in the market
      economy owing to their innocence and illiteracy. The money-lending
      tradesmen manipulate the tribals in various ways. Some of the Samanthas
      are indebted to the tradesmen and are obliged to sell their products at a
      heavy loss.
      The commercial sense of the market is totally alien to the Samanthas.
      Their economic activity is greatly interwoven and interdependent with
      their religious life. Their religious pantheon consists of various Gods
      and Godesses, who are symbols of various forces of Nature. They believe
      in absolute surrender of human spirits to the Natural forces. The
      availability of food in the jungle, the fertility of the Earth Mother, the
      rainfall and also the outbreak of epidemics are supposed to be dependent
      on the mercy or wrath of the respective Gods and Goddesses.
      Whenever an epidemic breaks out in the village, the Samanthas propitiate
      the Goddess of the disease known as "Ruga Penu". After worshipping they
      ceremonially send the Goddess out of the village.
      The religious sense of archaic oneness with Nature has characterized the
      many generations of traditional life among the Samanthas.