Korku
Encyclopedia
Korku is a scheduled tribe (ST) community predominantly found in the East Nimar (Khandwa
and Burhanpur
), Betul
and Chhindwara
districts of Madhya Pradesh
and adjoining areas in Melghat region of Maharastra in India
speaking the Korku language
, which is a member of the Austroasiatic language family. Korkus have derived their name from the combination of the word ‘koru’ meaning man and ‘ku’ which makes it plural meaning tribal man (Russell and Hiralal, 1916).The Korkus are a branch of the great Munda tribes and are placed here in the vicinity of the great tribe- the Gonds (Deogaonkar et al., 1990). Korkus are initially believed to be a hunting gathering community dwelling in the forests of Satpura ranges on either sides of the river Tapti. The Korku tribe lives in small groups of huts made of grass and wood. They socially consume liquor made from the flowers of the Mahua tree
which is prepared in almost all the houses. Predominantly, a rural-based community with 98.74 per cent living in rural areas, Korkus are primarily cultivators. Whilst they share the love of the forests with the Gonds
, they are also excellent agriculturists and in Bhainsdehi tahsil of Betul
district have pioneered the cultivation of potato
and coffee
. According to the 1981census, 46.42 percent of them are workers. Of these, 48.38 percent are cultivators, 46.47 percent are agricultural labourers, 2.30 percent are engaged in rearing livestock, forestry, fishing, etc. The remaining 2.85 percent are engaged in various other occupations such as mining and quarrying, household industries, construction, trade and commerce, etc. They have achieved a literacy rate of only 6.54 percent as recorded by the 1981 census. While 11.68 percent of their males are literate, among females the literacy rate is 1.24 percent. Women play significant roles in the economic life of the society as they work as agriculturists and agricultural wage laborers.
The community is the home to a unique and distinct culture, possesses a rich heritage of age old traditional systems more pertinently in terms of indigenous knowledge, beliefs, customs and social system. Traditional representative body of the society known as ‘Korku Panchayat’ is found in many villages. Headed by a chief known as Patel, other members in the Panchayat include Padihar (priest), Kotwar (Chaukidar) and ten to twelve older male members of the community known as Panch. It plays a decisive role during traditional occasions mainly in festivals, marriages and intra and inter-village conflict resolutions. Notoriously known for many reasons like widespread poverty, hunger, malnutrition, mass scale exploitations by moneylenders and traders, the community confronts with numerous socio-economic challenges in the day-to-day life partly due to the poor natural resource bases. Agriculture though the primary source of livelihoods for most of the community members, many of them earn their livelihoods seasonally employed as agricultural labourers.
Khandwa
Khandwa is a town in the Nimaad region of Madhya Pradesh, an Administrative State in central India. It is the administrative headquarters of Khandwa District, formerly known as East Nimar District.Khandwa is an ancient town, with many places of worship, like many other towns in India...
and Burhanpur
Burhanpur
Burhanpur is an important city in Madhya Pradesh state, India. It is the administrative seat of Burhanpur District. It is situated on the north bank of the Tapti River, southwest of Bhopal and northeast of Mumbai...
), Betul
Betul
Betul is a city and a municipality in Betul district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is the administrative center of Betul District located in southern Madhya Pradesh. It forms the southernmost part of the Bhopal Division.-Etymology:...
and Chhindwara
Chhindwara
Chhindwara is a town and a municipality in Chhindwara district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of Chhindwara District. Chhindwara is reachable by rail or road from adjacent cities Nagpur and Jabalpur...
districts of Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
and adjoining areas in Melghat region of Maharastra in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
speaking the Korku language
Korku language
The Korku language is the language of the Korku tribe of central India. It belongs to the Kolarian or Munda family, isolated in the midst of a Dravidian population. The Korkus are also closely associated with the Nihali people, many of whom have traditionally lived in special quarters of Korku...
, which is a member of the Austroasiatic language family. Korkus have derived their name from the combination of the word ‘koru’ meaning man and ‘ku’ which makes it plural meaning tribal man (Russell and Hiralal, 1916).The Korkus are a branch of the great Munda tribes and are placed here in the vicinity of the great tribe- the Gonds (Deogaonkar et al., 1990). Korkus are initially believed to be a hunting gathering community dwelling in the forests of Satpura ranges on either sides of the river Tapti. The Korku tribe lives in small groups of huts made of grass and wood. They socially consume liquor made from the flowers of the Mahua tree
Madhuca longifolia
Madhuca longifolia, commonly known as mahwa or mahua, is an Indian tropical tree found largely in the central and north Indian plains and forests. It is a fast-growing tree that grows to approximately 20 meters in height, possesses evergreen or semi-evergreen foliage, and belongs to the family...
which is prepared in almost all the houses. Predominantly, a rural-based community with 98.74 per cent living in rural areas, Korkus are primarily cultivators. Whilst they share the love of the forests with the Gonds
Gondi people
The Gondi, Goindi or Gond people are people in central India, spread over the states of Madhya Pradesh, eastern Maharashtra , Chhattisgarh, northern Andhra Pradesh, and Western Orissa. With over four million people, they are the largest tribe in Central India.The Gondi language is related to...
, they are also excellent agriculturists and in Bhainsdehi tahsil of Betul
Betul
Betul is a city and a municipality in Betul district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is the administrative center of Betul District located in southern Madhya Pradesh. It forms the southernmost part of the Bhopal Division.-Etymology:...
district have pioneered the cultivation of potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
and coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
. According to the 1981census, 46.42 percent of them are workers. Of these, 48.38 percent are cultivators, 46.47 percent are agricultural labourers, 2.30 percent are engaged in rearing livestock, forestry, fishing, etc. The remaining 2.85 percent are engaged in various other occupations such as mining and quarrying, household industries, construction, trade and commerce, etc. They have achieved a literacy rate of only 6.54 percent as recorded by the 1981 census. While 11.68 percent of their males are literate, among females the literacy rate is 1.24 percent. Women play significant roles in the economic life of the society as they work as agriculturists and agricultural wage laborers.
The community is the home to a unique and distinct culture, possesses a rich heritage of age old traditional systems more pertinently in terms of indigenous knowledge, beliefs, customs and social system. Traditional representative body of the society known as ‘Korku Panchayat’ is found in many villages. Headed by a chief known as Patel, other members in the Panchayat include Padihar (priest), Kotwar (Chaukidar) and ten to twelve older male members of the community known as Panch. It plays a decisive role during traditional occasions mainly in festivals, marriages and intra and inter-village conflict resolutions. Notoriously known for many reasons like widespread poverty, hunger, malnutrition, mass scale exploitations by moneylenders and traders, the community confronts with numerous socio-economic challenges in the day-to-day life partly due to the poor natural resource bases. Agriculture though the primary source of livelihoods for most of the community members, many of them earn their livelihoods seasonally employed as agricultural labourers.
Further reading
- Deogaonkar, S. G., & Deogaonkar, S. S. (1990). The Korku tribals. Castes and tribes of India, 1. New Delhi, India: Concept Pub. Co. ISBN 8170222974
- Fuchs, Stephen. (1988) The Korkus of the Vindhya Hills. New Delhi: Inter-India Publications.
- Russel, R.V. and Hiralal. (1916). Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India. III.