In photos: How festivals and rituals help Koraput’s Adivasis keep local seed varieties alive

In Koraput, in the Eastern Ghats of southern Odisha, agriculture is woven together with faith and festival. Per Scroll.in, the Adivasi communities there—including the Paroja, Gadaba, Kondh, Bhumia, Bhottada, Durua, and Saura peoples—observe ceremonies at every stage of farming. The first rice harvest is offered to the village deity before families eat. Months later, when the next season begins, they hold prayers for rain and ceremonies honoring the ploughs, cattle, and seeds themselves. This ceremonial farming has preserved something remarkable: hundreds of locally-adapted crop varieties, from indigenous paddy and finger millet to pigeon pea and traditional vegetables. By planting diverse crops that mature at different times, farmers reduce risk and ensure food throughout the year—far more resilient than monoculture farming.

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