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The Anthropological Survey of India began the People of Indian Project on October 2, 1985 to present an anthropological profile of the communities in India as well as examine the impact of developmental programmes on the communities and the links that bring them together. Odisha is broadly divided into four ecological-cultural regions where 279 communities live and these are studied in the People of India volume.

In Odisha, some 226 communities including the SCs and the STs live in villages and the majority are classified under ‘Hinduism’ where religion is concerned. People recognise varna hierarchy though there is laxity in socio-ritual norms. Inter-community cultural and economic linkages include exchange of food and water, economic resources, religious shrines and cremation ground. The volume presents details covering their languages, ritual kinship, religious beliefs, rituals governing various stages of life like marriage, pregnancy and childbirth and burial/cremation, occupations, food habits and other aspects in detail.