Traditional Sources of Power Among Oraons of Sarna Toli, Jashpur Nagar

The study examines traditional sources of power among Oraons of village 'Sarnatoli' of Jashpur district of Chhattisgarh state in India. Conceptually power is symbolic and emanates most recognizably from relations and practices of individuals from political and para-political institutions. Individual charisma, religious beliefs, kinship affiliations, control over land and other resources and customary laws can also be sources of power depending upon the context. However, power sources are always dynamic, dependant on changes in the power structure and processes of group's wider social, political and economic contexts. The study examines what constitutes as sources of power in a traditional tribal society and identifies power, as it had existed, at local institutional interfaces like of religion, parha-panchayat, local kingship, market, kinship & family. It also details extant power sources as located in membership of national political parties; ethnic identity; urban markets; and institutions of education, health, law and administration. The fieldwork was carried out in 2005 as a requirement of Masters in Science of Department of Anthropology, University of Delhi.