Dumal

Dumal is a caste in western Orissa with members distributed through the Boudh, Phulbani, Balangir, Sonepur, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Cuttack, Angul and Debgarhdistricts. This caste is categorised as a socially and economically backward community in both the State and Centre (Oct 1994) list.[1] They are the landlords, they give ground to people for cultivation and from those people they get money (Khajana). So the occupation was agriculture,[2] although the community members also serve in the Indian military.[3]

Origin

The caste originally came from Orissa. Its name was derived from the village of Dumba Hadap in the former Athmallik state.[4]

Another explanation of its origin is that Dumal is derived from Duma, the name of the gateway in Baudh town, which they lived near. Sir H. Risley wrote, “The Dumals or Jadupuria seems to be a group of local formation. They cherish the tradition that their ancestors came to Orissa from Jadupur, but this appears to be nothing more than the name of Yadavs/Jadavas, the mythological progenitors of the Yaduvanshi caste transformed into the name of an imaginary town."

Another legend states that when Lord Rama was wandering in the forests of Sambalpur, he met three brothers and asked each one to bring him a cup of water. The first brother brought water in a clean brass pot, his name was Sudh (well-mannered). The second brother made a cup out of leaves and drew water from a well using a rope, his name was Dumal, from dori-mal (a coil of rope). The third brother brought water in a hollow gourd, and his name was Kolta, from ku-rita (ill-mannered). This shows Kulta, Dumal, and Sudh have some connections.

References
  1. Gazette of India, 27 October 1994. Retrieved on 24 July 2014.
  2. Caste in India: Its Nature, Function and Origins, p50, p247
  3. The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India (Volumes I and II) By R.V. Russel
  4. Archived Ebook "The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India Volume II Archived "

Sources
  • Paper submitted by Mr Parmanada Tiwari, Extra assistant commissioner and Assistant settlement officer, Sambalpur
  • Paper drawn up by Mr. Rai Bahadur Hira Lal, Extra Assistant Commissioner
  • The Tribes And Castes of the Central Provinces of India By R. V. Russell
  • The tribes and castes of the central provinces of India, Volume 1 - Page 538 By R.V. Russell, R.B.H. Lai
  • "Social Structure of Western Orissa Under the Chauhans of Sambalpur". Journal of History & Social Sciences. Archived from the original on 2012-12-23. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  • Russell, R.V. (1916). The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India. Asian Educational Services. ISBN 978-81-206-0833-7.
  • Sociological Bulletin. Indian Sociological Society. 2000.
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