Koraput, 11th Nov 2025: The Banda and Gadaba tribal communities of the undivided Koraput district have unique cultural practices. Their attire, food habits, customs, and livelihoods are entirely different.
The Banda community, primarily from the Malkangiri region, is one of the primitive tribal groups. Banda women traditionally wear a handmade ornament called Sungaray, which covers the entire neck and is tied around it. Both men and women wear handmade clothes called Ringa or Nodika, prepared entirely using organic and traditional methods.
Similarly, the Gadaba tribal communities inhabit areas like Nandpur, Padua, Lamataput, Baipariguda, and Kundura in Koraput district. They speak various Gadaba dialects such as Banda Gadaba, Olar Gadaba, Parenga, and Urang Gadaba. Gadaba women also wear handmade garments called Kerang sarees, which they consider a mark of honor and dignity.
Independence of the Clothes
Both Ringa and Kerang garments are made from the bark of Kisalag and Sheet Kudai trees. While the thread preparation, weaving, and dyeing processes are similar, the size of the garments differs.
Ringa garments: 3–4 feet in length, 12–14 inches in width.
Kerang sarees: 6 feet in length, 5 feet in width.
These garments are beautiful, durable, and preserved as ancestral heritage for over 50 years.
Preparation Process
In their traditional attire, Banda women and both men and women collect long branches of Kisalag and Sheet Kudai trees from the forest. These branches are dried in the sun for about 5 days. Once dried, the bark is stripped and soaked in water—this process is called “Tulei”.
Then, threads are extracted using a wooden stick, a process called “Nesai”. The prepared threads are rolled into cylindrical shapes called Pendu, which is known as “Badi”. The dyed threads, known locally as Salim sutra, are prepared using natural colors:
Red (Sindoor) from Mal Tangni,
Yellow from Jhampara tree or red soil,
Black from Angara and Nilia trees,
Blue from river shivuli and Kasa harida fruit.
After 8 days of preparation, the threads are ready for weaving into Ringa and Kerang garments. The weaving requires special wooden looms and tools, including long wooden rods, sticks, pegs, and specific arrangements for thread tension and patterning.
Banda and Gadaba women use these threads to weave the Ringa and Kerang garments for daily use and special occasions.
Preservation and Revival Efforts
With the support of the Koraput Tribal Studies Council (COTAEAS) and the district administration, steps are being taken to revive these nearly lost traditional weaving arts.
In Lamataput, Banda and Gadaba communities are being trained to preserve Ringa and Kerang garments.
Economic support is provided for collecting raw materials and weaving garments.
Recently, Gadaba women were taken to Delhi to exhibit Kerang sarees, which motivated them to continue the tradition.
Dr. Rajendra Padhi, a tribal culture researcher at COTAEAS, mentioned that the state and central government Banda Mission, along with some missionary organizations, are working in Malkangiri to promote Banda community development.
Currently, raw materials for Ringa garments are scarce, making their production and use rare. However, the Banda community preserves ancestral Ringa garments as a mark of family honor. It is estimated that each Banda family keeps at least 8–10 old Ringa garments, according to former Chitrakonda MLA and Banda culture researcher Damburu Sisa.
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