How do the Khond people’s languages differ between the plains and remote hills of Odisha?
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Odisha
Jagannatha temple, Puri, Odisha, India.
The Khond people’s language usage in Odisha varies significantly based on their geographic location and proximity to neighboring populations. This linguistic distribution follows a clear gradient from the plains to the remote interior:1
- Baudh Plains: In these areas, many Khond have adopted the language of their neighbors, speaking only Oriya.1
- Hilly Regions: As one moves farther into the hills, the Khond population becomes bilingual, utilizing both their traditional languages and those of their neighbors.1
- Remote Jungles: In the most isolated jungle regions, the Khond speak only Kui (or its southern dialect, Kuwi), which belong to the Dravidian language family.1
This pattern reflects a long-standing process of acculturation, as the Khond have increasingly adopted the customs and languages of Oriya-speaking and Telugu-speaking groups over many centuries.1