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Context:  

Gillaram village in Jaladam Valley, home to the Konda Reddis, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group, reflects a timeless harmony with nature.

About Konda Reddi Tribe:

The Konda Reddis or Hill Reddis are a  Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh and the neighboring states of Odisha in Tamil Nadu.

They are completely unrelated to the Hindu caste also known by the name Reddy. They live mainly in the Khammam district, with smaller numbers in Alluri Sitaram Raju and Eluru districts.

The Konda Reddis are not listed as tribals in the state of Odisha despite the community's demand. Konda Reddis normally speaks Telugu with non-members. The 1991 census of India counted 432 Hill Reddis.

Religion:

The traditional religion of the Konda Reddis does not have the concept of a spiritual being within man. However, the Reddis worship dead ancestors, hills, and local gods and have adopted Hindu gods. They associate themselves with folk Hinduism, characterized by local traditions and cults of local deities worshiped at the community level.

Social Structure:

The family is patriarchal and patrilocal. Monogamy is the rule, but there are also polygamous families. Bargained marriage, love and elopement, service, capture, and exchange are socially accepted methods of obtaining a mate.

Political structure and Economy of Tribe:

They have their institution of social control called "Kula Panchayat". Each village has a traditional headman called 'Pedda Kapu'. The office of chief is hereditary and the chief is also the Pujari (priest) of the village deities.

They are primarily shifting cultivators and their livelihood is largely dependent on the flora and fauna of the forest. They mainly grow jowar, which is their staple food.

The way of life of the Konda Reddi tribe largely revolves around the cow, which is their source of livelihood. The traditional houses of the Konda Reddis have maintained their unique architectural appearance for centuries.

These tribal people are aggressive in cultivating commercial crops like cashew, niger, chilli, and cotton by the method of Pod cultivation,

The tribe adopted a unique circular-shaped architecture for living. Houses built with circular mud walls and thatched roofs are reminiscent of the Bhunga architecture of the Kachchh region of Gujarat.

Source:

THE HINDU