Tribal Woman Carryng Sugar Cane Editorial Image

The antiquity of Orissa is endorsed by her ancient people who continue to inhabit their traditional dwelling places in remote areas in the deep forests and hilly interiors. Steeped in the mystery that surrounds their ancient ways, the Orissan tribals continue to be a source of deep interest not only for anthropologists and sociologists but also for numerous tourists who flock to Orissa in search of the exotic mystique of this relatively unexplored state. Orissa has 62 distinct tribal groups, making it the largest collection of tribal people in a single state in the country. Each of these tribal groups has its own indigenous customs and continues to practice them even today. Orissa is home to India's ancient civilization and most of it is concentrated around the Eastern Ghat hill ranges in the region of Koraput