Tarbod: If you happen to be in any village in Nuapada district inhabited by people belonging to Chakotiya Bhunjia tribe, keep in mind that you should not touch their red building, locally called as ‘Lal Bungalow’.
If you touch the red building, even if accidentally; the building will need to be burned down.
In fact, they have been following this tradition for generations.
There are a total of 53 hamlets in Sunabeda sanctuary under Komana block in Nuapada district. The villages are located about 3,600 feet above the mean sea level (MSL).
These villages are mostly inhabited by Chakotiya Bhunjia tribal people. People of other tribal communities also live in these villages, but their number is next to nothing.
Different tribes practice different customs and traditions. In that way, the Chakotiya Bhunjia people also follow a tradition which is not only different from others but interesting as well.
They call their kitchen ‘Lal Bungalow’. It is the most sacred place in their house. If any outsider touches it, even if accidentally; they assume their ‘Lal Bungalow’ gets defiled. They destroy the house by setting it on fire and get another one constructed in its place.
Since they know that their kitchen has the risk of being touched by outsiders, their kitchen is constructed in a way so that it can easily be burnt down.
Instead of using bricks, stone chips, boulders and iron rods in constructing their kitchens, they use mud and timbers.
They regard their kitchen as a sacred place. In fact, they worship their deities and forefathers in this ‘Lal Bungalow’.
Anyone from outside their families is strictly not allowed to touch their sacred house. Even married daughters do not have the privilege of touching this house, let alone going inside it. When these daughters come to their parents’ house as guests, their food is cooked outside. The practice continues for as long as she stays in her parents’ house.
PNN
